Algeria vs. Ethiopia: Which African Country Is Larger?

Algeria is larger than Ethiopia. The original answer had this reversed. Here are the correct figures:

Key Context

• Algeria covers much of the Sahara; ~90% is desert. It's the 10th largest country globally.
• Ethiopia is the largest landlocked country in Africa (since South Sudan's 2011 independence) and the 2nd most populous.
• Ethiopia's area is sometimes cited as ~1.14M km² including water bodies; Algeria's is overwhelmingly land.

Why the Confusion?

Ethiopia's high profile (history, population, economy) and distinctive shape on maps can create a perception of greater size. Algeria's vast, sparsely populated Sahara interior is less visually salient.

Bottom line: Algeria > Ethiopia by a factor of ~2.15 in land area.