Many people wonder Is the US Bigger Than Europe in size. The answer depends on what we mean by “bigger.” We can look at land area, population, and economy. In some ways the U.S. is larger, while in others Europe is larger.

Below, we break down each aspect in simple terms and answer common questions, including whether adding Alaska changes things, how Europe compares without Russia, and how the U.S. stacks up against Western Europe and the European Union.

Is the US Bigger Than Europe? Land Area: United States vs. Europe

The United States is enormous – about 9.8 million square kilometers (around 3.8 million square miles) in total area. This includes all 50 states (yes, including Alaska). Europe, as a whole continent, covers about 10.2 million square kilometers (around 3.9 million square miles).

That means Europe is slightly larger in area than the U.S. – only by a small margin of a few percent. In other words, even with Alaska included, the United States is just a bit smaller than the entire continent of Europe.

What about the 48 contiguous U.S. states (excluding Alaska)?

If we remove Alaska from the equation, the picture changes dramatically. The 48 contiguous states total about 8.0 million square kilometers (3.1 million square miles). In this case, Europe is significantly larger – about 27% bigger than the contiguous U.S.

What if we exclude Russia from Europe?

Russia’s European portion is substantial – about 4.0 million square kilometers. If we exclude Russia, Europe’s remaining area drops to roughly 6.2 million square kilometers. In this scenario, the U.S. (including Alaska) would be larger than the rest of Europe.

Is the U.S. bigger than Western Europe?

Western Europe (countries like France, Germany, UK, Spain, Italy, etc.) covers approximately 1.5 million square kilometers. The U.S. is much larger – about 6.5 times bigger than Western Europe alone.

How about the European Union vs. the U.S.?

The European Union’s land area is about 4.5 million square kilometers. The United States (including Alaska) is more than twice as large as the EU.

Is the US Bigger Than Europe – Population Comparison

Being “bigger” can also mean having more people. In terms of population, Europe is larger than the United States by a wide margin:

Population of Europe (overall): About 740–750 million people live in Europe (the whole continent). This counts all European countries, including Russia’s population west of the Urals.
Population of the United States: About 330 million people live in the U.S. (The U.S. is the third most populous country in the world, after China and India.)

This means Europe’s population is more than double the U.S. population. In simple terms, for every person in the United States, there are about two people in Europe.

Now, consider some specific scenarios:

Europe minus Russia: Even if we exclude Russia’s population, the rest of Europe still has around 600 million people. That is almost twice the U.S. population of 330 million. So, with or without Russia, Europe has more people than the United States.
Western Europe: The countries of Western Europe (like Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, etc.) together have hundreds of millions of people. For example, just a handful of Western European countries – Germany (~83 million), France (~65 million), the UK (~67 million), Italy (~60 million), and Spain (~47 million) – already sum up to over 300 million. Add the other Western European nations and it easily exceeds the U.S. population. So, the U.S. does not have more people than Western Europe; Western Europe’s population is in the same ballpark or higher.
European Union: The EU’s combined population is about 447–450 million people (as of recent estimates). The EU alone has more people than the United States (about 120 million more). So, if the question is “Is the U.S. bigger than the European Union in population?” – the answer is no. The EU has roughly one-third more inhabitants than the U.S. does.

In summary, when it comes to population, Europe wins out over the U.S. by a significant amount. Europe simply has many more countries and thus more people overall, whereas the U.S. is just one country (albeit a populous one).

Economic Size (GDP) Comparison

Another way to compare size is by economy – typically measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the total value of all goods and services produced. This tells us who has the bigger economy or “economic size.”

United States GDP: The U.S. has the largest national economy in the world. In recent years, the U.S. GDP has been around $21 trillion USD (21 million million dollars) or even higher. As of 2021–2022, it’s grown to over $23 trillion, and in 2023 it was estimated to be around $25 trillion. This makes the U.S. economy #1 globally by country.
Europe’s GDP (combined): Europe isn’t a single country, but if you add up all European countries’ economies, you get a number in the same ballpark as the U.S., or even larger. All European countries together (including the EU members, the UK, Switzerland, Russia, etc.) produce roughly $23–$24 trillion in GDP in total, which is comparable to the U.S. figure. In fact, by some estimates, Europe’s combined economy slightly edges out the U.S. – but remember, that’s the sum of about 50 different countries.
European Union GDP: If we look at the European Union as a whole (27 countries acting somewhat like one economic bloc), its total GDP is around $17 trillion USD (approximately €17 trillion). This is a bit smaller than the U.S. economy. The U.S. economy is larger than the EU’s economy. Another way to put it: the U.S. produces more economic output in a year than all 27 EU countries combined.

The EU is still a huge economic player (usually ranked 2nd or 3rd in the world if it were considered as one unit), but it doesn’t quite match the U.S. in size after the exit of the UK and given recent growth differences.

The Portugal Factor: Europe’s Real Estate Gem

When comparing the U.S. and Europe, it’s fascinating to look at individual European markets that punch above their weight. Portugal, despite being a small country of just 92,000 square kilometers (smaller than many U.S. states), has become a European real estate powerhouse.

What’s particularly interesting is how Portugal’s property market dynamics reflect broader European trends while offering unique advantages. While the U.S. housing market faces affordability challenges in major cities, Portugal real estate presents compelling value propositions. The country experienced the second-largest annual rise in house prices in Europe, with values up 17.7% in Q3 2025 – far above the eurozone average of 5.1%.

Here’s where Portugal’s size becomes an advantage: despite being smaller than many U.S. states, it offers diverse regional markets that cater to different investment strategies:

Lisbon: €4,935 – €6,934/m² (Luxury lifestyle, expat hub)
Porto: €3,937 – €4,883/m² (First-time buyers, steady rentals)
Algarve: €4,385 – €6,210/m² (Holiday lets, coastal living)
Silver Coast: €2,642 – €3,153/m² (Surf lifestyle, value plays)

For context, these prices are significantly more accessible than major U.S. cities like San Francisco or New York, where similar properties can cost $10,000-$15,000 per square meter. Yet Portugal offers European lifestyle benefits: 300+ days of sunshine annually, world-class healthcare, and the ability to travel across multiple countries with just a short drive or flight.

The Portuguese market also demonstrates how smaller European countries can compete globally. With rental yields ranging from 5.2% to 8% depending on location, and a housing market that European Commission reports as overvalued by 30-35% (suggesting room for growth), Portugal represents how European real estate markets can offer both value and growth potential.

This geographic advantage – being able to access multiple countries and markets within a relatively small area – is something the U.S., despite its larger size, cannot replicate. From Portugal, you can drive to Spain in under two hours, fly to Paris in two hours, or reach London in three. This accessibility to multiple major markets is uniquely European.

Summary Table of Key Figures

Metric	United States	Europe (Whole Continent)	European Union	Western Europe
Land Area	9.8 million km²	10.2 million km²	4.5 million km²	1.5 million km²
Population	330 million	740-750 million	447-450 million	~300+ million
GDP	~$25 trillion	~$23-24 trillion	~$17 trillion	~$15 trillion

Wrapping Up

So, is the U.S. bigger than Europe? The answer depends on the metric:

Land Area: Europe is slightly larger (10.2 vs 9.8 million km²)
Population: Europe is much larger (740+ million vs 330 million)
Economy: The U.S. has the largest single-country economy, but Europe’s combined economies are comparable

What’s clear is that both are massive in their own ways, and the comparison reveals interesting insights about how geography, population, and economic power distribute across these two regions. The U.S. excels as a unified economic powerhouse, while Europe’s strength lies in its diversity and collective scale.

For those considering international real estate investment or relocation, understanding these scale differences is crucial. The U.S. offers uniformity and scale, while Europe provides diversity and accessibility to multiple cultures and markets within relatively compact geographic areas.