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Egypt vs. Turkey: Comparing Two Crossroads of Continents

See how Egypt and Turkey compare in land area, and why map projections can make their sizes look different than they really are.

M

Map2Maps Team

•2 min read

Egypt and Turkey both occupy strategic positions bridging continents and cultures. Egypt is notably larger, covering about 29% more territory than Turkey.

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 spanning Europe and Asia

Quick Comparison: - Egypt is about 29% larger than Turkey by land area

  • Both countries have large populations and rich histories

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 (approximately 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 an east-west stretch.

Why Maps Can Be Misleading

Map projections can make Egypt and Turkey appear closer in size than they actually are. Egypt's long stretch along the Nile and Turkey's unique bicontinental position can obscure the true area difference at first glance.

Select Egypt and Turkey on the map to see their true sizes side by side.

Final Thoughts

Both Egypt and Turkey play major regional roles, but Egypt covers significantly more land overall. Map projections can distort visual perception, so comparing them on an accurate projection reveals the true 29% size difference.

Use our interactive map tool to compare Egypt and Turkey with any country or region in the world.

For more regional comparisons, see how France compares to Ukraine in Europe, or check out massive continental differences in Brazil vs India and Argentina vs Algeria. Also see our island nation guides for Madagascar and New Zealand.

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