North Korea is 1,970 times bigger by total area compared to San Marino: 46,541 sq mi vs 23.6 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of North Korea is 46,491 sq mi vs 23.2 sq mi for San Marino — a 2,007 times difference in territory size.
- North Korea ranks 96/197 by total surface area vs 193/197 for San Marino.
- North Korea occupies 0.08% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.00004% for San Marino.
- 21.6% of North Korea's area is agricultural land vs 38.3% in San Marino.
- N. Korea has 0.05% of the world's agricultural land area — San Marino has 0.00005%.
- 49.6% of N. Korea is covered by forests, compared to 16.7% in San Marino.
- 0.15% of the world's forests are in North Korea, and 0.00002% are in San Marino.
Total size and land area comparison
North Korea
|
San Marino
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
46,541 sq mi |
23.6 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1,970 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 96/197 | 193/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.02% | 0.00001% |
| Land area |
46,491 sq mi |
23.2 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 2,007 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 97/197 | 193/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.08% | 0.00004% |
| Population | 26,498,823 | 33,977 |
| Population density | 573 ppl/mi² | 1,466 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
North Korea
|
San Marino
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
23,036 sq mi |
3.86 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 49.6% | 16.7% |
| Forest area rank | 70/196 | 188/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.15% | 0.00002% |
Agricultural land area
|
10,021 sq mi |
8.88 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 21.6% | 38.3% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 109/194 | 190/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.05% | 0.00005% |
|
Arable land
|
8,861 sq mi |
7.66 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 19.1% | 33.1% |
| Arable land area rank | 79/191 | 184/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
966 sq mi |
1.22 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 2.08% | 5.25% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 77/192 | 189/192 |
|
Water area
|
50.2 sq mi |
0.46 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 0.11% | 1.96% |
| Water area rank | 137/197 | 158/197 |
| Roads length |
15,879 mi |
181.4 mi |
| Land borders length |
999 mi |
23 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,550 mi |
0 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | n/a |
North Korea vs San Marino size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/north-korea/san-marino | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of North Korea and San Marino 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.