Nigeria is 11 times bigger by total area compared to the United Arab Emirates: 356,669 sq mi vs 32,278 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Nigeria is 351,650 sq mi vs 27,421 sq mi for the United Arab Emirates — a 12.8 times difference in territory size.
- Nigeria ranks 31/197 by total surface area vs 114/197 for the United Arab Emirates.
- Nigeria occupies 0.61% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.05% for the United Arab Emirates.
- 76.2% of Nigeria's area is agricultural land vs 5.52% in the United Arab Emirates.
- Nigeria has 1.45% of the world's agricultural land area — the UAE has 0.008%.
- 23.2% of Nigeria is covered by forests, compared to 4.47% in the UAE.
- 0.52% of the world's forests are in Nigeria, and 0.008% are in the United Arab Emirates.
Total size and land area comparison
Nigeria
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
356,669 sq mi |
32,278 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 11 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 31/197 | 114/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.18% | 0.02% |
| Land area |
351,650 sq mi |
27,421 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 12.8 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 30/197 | 117/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.61% | 0.05% |
| Population | 232,679,478 | 10,986,400 |
| Population density | 690 ppl/mi² | 424 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Nigeria
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
81,611 sq mi |
1,225 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 23.2% | 4.47% |
| Forest area rank | 29/196 | 148/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.52% | 0.008% |
Agricultural land area
|
267,948 sq mi |
1,512 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 76.2% | 5.52% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 14/194 | 151/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 1.45% | 0.008% |
|
Arable land
|
142,364 sq mi |
194.5 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 40.5% | 0.71% |
| Arable land area rank | 8/191 | 158/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
28,395 sq mi |
159.5 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 8.07% | 0.58% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 7/192 | 127/192 |
|
Water area
|
5,019 sq mi |
4,857 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.41% | 15% |
| Water area rank | 39/197 | 40/197 |
| Roads length |
121,167 mi |
2,535 mi |
| Land borders length |
2,782 mi |
662 mi |
| Coastline length |
530 mi |
819 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | 12% |
Nigeria vs United Arab Emirates size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/nigeria/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.