Egypt vs. Turkey: Comparing Two Crossroads of Continents

Egypt and Turkey both sit at the crossroads of continents and cultures, but how do they compare in terms of size? Let’s take a closer look at these two influential countries.

The Numbers: Egypt vs. Turkey

• Egypt’s area: 1,010,408 square kilometers (390,121 square miles)
• Turkey’s area: 783,356 square kilometers (302,455 square miles)
• Population: Egypt ~110 million, Turkey ~85 million
• Location: Egypt in North Africa, Turkey in both Europe and Asia

Geographic Scale and Shape

• Egypt: Roughly 1,024 km north-south, 1,240 km east-west
• Turkey: About 1,565 km east-west, 700 km north-south
• Size difference: Egypt is 227,052 km² larger (about the size of the United Kingdom)

Egypt's elongated shape along the Nile creates a distinctive north-south orientation, while Turkey's position bridging Europe and Asia gives it a more east-west stretch.

Why Maps Can Be Misleading

Depending on the map projection, Egypt and Turkey can appear closer in size than they really are. Egypt’s long stretch along the Nile and Turkey’s unique position spanning two continents can make their true areas hard to judge at a glance.

Final Thoughts

Both Egypt and Turkey are major players in their regions, but Egypt covers more land overall. Map projections can play tricks on our eyes—so use the map to see the real difference!

For more regional comparisons, explore how France compares to Ukraine in Europe, or see massive continental differences in Brazil vs India and Argentina vs Algeria. Don't miss our island nation guides for Madagascar and New Zealand.