Introduction
When people say, “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” they often wonder how that size stacks up against Europe. Comparing a single U.S. state to an entire continent sounds wild, but it’s a useful way to grasp geography.
Texas covers about 695,662 km² (268,596 sq mi). Europe, depending on where you draw the line, spans roughly 10.18 million km². That means Texas is about 6.8% of Europe’s total land area—big for a state, small against a continent.
But averages hide the fun details. Against individual European nations, Texas is sometimes larger, sometimes smaller, and often close enough for surprising matchups. Picture road trips, flight times, and regional variety; that’s the context these comparisons bring to life.
Below, you’ll find clear, short-paragraph answers to the ten closely related questions. Each one uses round numbers, plain language, and memorable analogies so you can picture Texas on a mental map of Europe—no special tools needed.
1) Is Texas bigger than France?
Yes—Texas is larger than France. France’s mainland area is about 551,695 km², while Texas covers roughly 695,662 km². In simple terms, Texas is about 26% larger than France.
Think of it this way: if you laid Texas over France, the Lone Star State would spill past France’s borders. Driving from El Paso to Beaumont covers a distance that rivals crossing several French regions end to end.
Another way to visualize it is population versus space. France has around 68–70 million people spread across a smaller land area, whereas Texas has far fewer people for more space. That’s why French cities feel closer together, while Texas travel often means long, open stretches.
So while France boasts mountains, coasts, and dense cultural hubs within a compact footprint, Texas stretches wider plains, deserts, and forests over more ground.
2) How many times can the UK fit in Texas?
Nearly three times. The United Kingdom’s area is about 242,495 km², compared to Texas at about 695,662 km². Do the math and you get roughly 2.9—close enough to say “almost three UKs in one Texas.”
Imagine stacking Britain side by side across Texas. You could fit England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland more than twice, with space left for sizable national parks. That’s why long drives are part of Texas life; the state’s width and height dwarf the UK’s compact layout.
Yet the UK’s dense rail links and short intercity distances create a different lived experience. In Britain, two hours on a train might cross multiple regions; in Texas, that could be a single leg of a longer road trip. Same modern country feel, totally different scale.
3) Texas size vs Germany: which is larger?
Texas is larger—by almost double. Germany is about 357,022 km², meaning Texas is roughly 1.95 times Germany’s size. If you placed Germany over Texas, you’d still have big swaths of Texas uncovered to the west and south.
That difference explains some travel contrasts. In Germany, you can cross several states (Länder) in a day on fast roads or rail. In Texas, the same driving hours might get you from one region to the next—say, from Hill Country to West Texas—without leaving the state.
Culturally, both are vast and varied, but Germany’s richness is packed tighter: medieval towns, river valleys, and alpine edges in closer proximity. Texas offers its own diversity—piney woods to desert basins—spread across far greater mileage.
4) How big is Texas compared to Spain?
Texas is larger than Spain. Spain’s area is about 505,990 km²; Texas is about 695,662 km², making Texas roughly 1.37 times Spain’s size.
Imagine taking the Iberian Peninsula’s varied landscapes—Catalan coasts, Castilian plateaus, Andalusian hills—and stretching them wider. That’s the Texas effect. The distances between major Texas cities mirror crossing long Spanish routes, but you’re still within one state.
Of course, Spain’s coastline and island territories create a maritime footprint Texas doesn’t have. Texas, however, counters with sprawling inland regions and a Gulf Coast that’s substantial in its own right. Both have sunny climates, but the sheer breadth of Texas magnifies the change from humid east to arid west.
5) Is Texas larger than Ukraine?
Yes—slightly. Ukraine spans about 603,628 km², while Texas covers about 695,662 km², so Texas is around 15% larger.
On a map, that margin looks modest, but in real travel terms, 90,000 km² is a lot of space—roughly the size of Portugal. If you overlaid Ukraine onto Texas, edges would align in places, yet Texas would still extend beyond Ukraine’s outline.
Both geographies showcase open farmland and steppe-like plains in parts. Ukraine’s Black Sea access adds coastal dynamics Texas doesn’t mirror one-to-one, though Texas does have a long Gulf Coast. In essence, the two feel comparable in breadth, with Texas taking the win by a noticeable notch.
6) Texas vs Italy in land area
Texas is more than twice the size of Italy. Italy’s area is about 301,340 km²; Texas sits at roughly 695,662 km². That’s about 2.3 Italys per Texas.
Italy’s iconic boot shape stretches long and narrow, with mountain spines and deep coastal indentations. Texas spreads wide instead of long, which changes the travel logic. A day’s drive in Italy might take you from alpine valleys to Mediterranean shores; a day’s drive in Texas might take you from pine forests to desert basins, still within the same state borders.
Population density also differs. Italy’s historic cities crowd complex coastlines. Texas’s big metros—Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin—are separated by substantial drives, framed by vast rural counties in between.
7) How does Texas compare to Sweden and Norway?
Texas is bigger than each one individually, but smaller than the two combined. Sweden is about 450,295 km² and Norway about 385,207 km². Texas is roughly 1.54 times Sweden and about 1.81 times Norway; together Sweden+Norway total ~835,502 km², which is larger than Texas.
Think latitude versus latitude. Sweden and Norway stretch north–south, spanning arctic and subarctic zones with long coastlines and fjords. Texas spreads east–west across warmer belts, shifting from humid Gulf lowlands to dry high plains.
If you overlaid Norway on Texas, Norway’s sinuous coastline would snake far beyond Texas’s Gulf arc. Overlay Sweden, and you’d notice Sweden’s northward reach exceeds what Texas can match in latitude. But raw area—one at a time—still favors Texas.
8) Texas vs Poland size comparison
Texas is much larger. Poland’s area is about 312,696 km²; Texas covers 695,662 km²—roughly 2.2 times Poland.
Picture two Polands side by side, and you’re approaching Texas’s footprint. That difference explains why Polish intercity rail and road journeys tend to feel shorter, with big hubs like Warsaw, Kraków, and Gdańsk within a compact national grid. In Texas, cities are farther apart, and inter-metro trips routinely cross hundreds of kilometers.
Both places mix forests, farms, industry, and strong regional identities. But Texas’s landmass multiplies the distances between those identities, making regional travel a more deliberate, time-intensive endeavor.
9) How much of Europe would Texas cover?
About 6.8%. Europe is roughly 10.18 million km², and Texas is about 695,662 km². Do the division and you get just under seven percent of the continent’s area.
Imagine a map of Europe shaded to show Texas’s share. If Europe were a 100-square grid, Texas would color in about seven squares. That’s big enough to outsize many individual countries, yet small next to Europe as a whole, which stacks dozens of nations of every shape.
Another mental model: set Europe’s breadth from Portugal to the Urals as your frame. Texas would be a large, solid block inside that frame—conspicuous, but far from filling it. It’s a giant among states, a mid-sized piece by continental standards.
10) Is Texas bigger than several European countries combined?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no—it depends which ones you add. Texas (695,662 km²) is larger than many two-country combos such as the UK + Italy (~543,835 km²) or Italy + Poland (~614,036 km²).
But combine heavier hitters and Texas loses ground. France + Germany (~908,717 km²) easily tops Texas. Spain + Poland (~818,686 km²) also exceeds Texas, as does Sweden + Norway (~835,502 km²). Mix and match, and you’ll see Texas beating smaller pairs, but trailing many pairings that include a big Western or Northern European country.
The takeaway is scale variety. Europe’s patchwork allows you to build many “Texas-sized” bundles from neighboring nations. Texas remains massive for a state, yet Europe’s mosaic can outgrow it quickly when you start stacking.