It’s a common saying that “everything is bigger in America,” and when you start comparing the landmass of the United States to that of Great Britain, the statement certainly rings true. An insightful infographic recently highlighted just how vast some US states are by overlaying them onto the map of the UK, revealing some truly eye-opening size disparities. You might be surprised to discover just how many individual states in the USA are actually larger than the entire United Kingdom.
The Size Disparity: US States That Dwarf Great Britain
In fact, there are a significant number of US states – eleven to be precise – that exceed the territorial size of Great Britain. These states are Alaska, Texas, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Michigan. To truly grasp the scale, consider that Great Britain, encompassing England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, covers a total area of approximately 93,628 square miles. When placed side-by-side with individual US states, the comparison becomes quite striking.
Alaska, the largest US state, is in a league of its own. It is a staggering seven times larger than the UK. Imagine fitting seven Great Britains into just one US state! Texas, known for its vast landscapes, comes in at almost three times the size of the UK. Even sunny California, often perceived as a long state, but not necessarily exceptionally wide, is nearly double the size of Great Britain.
Moving beyond these giants, Montana is over 50% larger than the UK, offering vast open spaces and wilderness. New Mexico, with its rich history and desert landscapes, is about 29% bigger. Arizona, famous for the Grand Canyon, surpasses the UK by 21%. Nevada, known for Las Vegas and expansive deserts, is still 17% larger. Colorado, home to the Rocky Mountains, is 11% bigger, while Oregon, with its diverse Pacific coastline and forests, is slightly larger at 4%. Wyoming, famous for Yellowstone National Park, and Michigan, bordering the Great Lakes, are both just a bit bigger, each at 3% larger than Great Britain.
To put these figures into a concise list, here’s a breakdown of how many times larger these US states are compared to the UK:
- Alaska: 7.05 times larger
- Texas: 2.86 times larger
- California: 1.74 times larger
- Montana: 1.56 times larger
- New Mexico: 1.29 times larger
- Arizona: 1.21 times larger
- Nevada: 1.17 times larger
- Colorado: 1.11 times larger
- Oregon: 1.04 times larger
- Wyoming: 1.03 times larger
- Michigan: 1.03 times larger
Understanding the Scale: America’s Vastness
This comparison highlights the sheer scale of the United States. While Great Britain is a significant island nation with a rich history and culture, its land area is dwarfed by many individual US states. The total area of the United States is approximately 3.8 million square miles, making it roughly 40 times larger than the UK. This vastness contributes to the diverse landscapes, climates, and ecosystems found across the USA. It also puts into perspective the distances involved in domestic travel within the US, where driving between states can often feel like crossing continents in Europe. The next time you hear “everything is bigger in America,” remember this comparison of US state size to Great Britain – it’s a powerful illustration of the country’s immense scale.
