What Is the Area of Canaan in Square Miles?

The historical region of Canaan—roughly corresponding to modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and parts of Jordan and Syria—does not have a single, fixed area in ancient texts. Modern estimates vary by scholarly definition of its boundaries at different periods (Bronze Age, Iron Age, etc.).

Common approximations for the core area (coastal plain to Jordan River, Sinai to Lebanon mountains) range from 6,000 to 10,000 square miles (15,500–26,000 km²). For comparison, this is roughly the size of Hawaii or Massachusetts. Precise figures depend on whether you include Transjordan, the Negev, or Phoenician coastal cities.