The U.S. may have the largest economy in the world, but it’s neither the largest country nor the most populated (those titles belong to Russia and China, respectively). In fact, if you come from a small state like Rhode Island or Connecticut, or a state that’s sparsely populated such as Wyoming or Vermont, the U.S. can feel downright intimate. You may feel like you know everyone in your town and that there’s nothing new to see.
But consider this: For every state across the nation, there’s a country that has an equivalent population somewhere else in the world. Looking at how states compare to foreign countries can help you conceptualize just how many people live in any particular area of the U.S. Put into action, that means Wisconsin actually looks a lot like Denmark, and New Hampshire is home to just as many people as Equatorial Guinea. Likewise, adding up the populations of Burkina Faso and Eswatini gives you the same population as the state of Florida. It can turn the way you usually see your state completely on its head.
To help people conceptualize just how many people live in the U.S., Stacker calculated how every state’s population compares with countries around the world using 2019 population data from the U.S. Census Bureau and World Bank. We also looked at news articles, data from think tanks, and other resources to find out the reasons behind any major shifts in the populations of these countries in recent years.
While most of us are still stuck at home during the pandemic, it can be a fun mental escape to figure out which country your state resembles in terms of population. Click through to see how your home state’s population relates to other countries around the world.
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