Skyrim map size: how big the world really is
The Skyrim map size is usually put at about 37 square kilometres, which is roughly 14 to 15 square miles. That figure comes from measuring the game's terrain grid: the world is built from square cells of about 57.6 metres a side, and the playable landmass covers a few thousand of them.
On the ground the map feels larger than that number suggests, because mountains force you along winding roads instead of straight lines. This page gives the measurements we could back with a source, real travel times from Riften to Solitude, and a comparison with Oblivion, Fallout 4 and Crimson Desert.
Skyrim map size compared with other open worlds
| Game | Approximate area | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Skyrim (2011) | About 37 km², roughly 14 to 15 sq mi | Base game landmass; Solstheim is a separate island |
| Oblivion (2006) | About 41 km², about 16 sq mi | Slightly larger than Skyrim but flatter and less dense |
| Fallout 4 (2015) | About 9 to 10 sq mi in most estimates | Smaller than Skyrim; estimates vary by method |
| Crimson Desert (2026) | At least twice Skyrim's playable area | Pearl Abyss statement, not a measured figure |
How the 37 square kilometres is measured
Bethesda games build their exteriors from a grid of cells. In Skyrim each cell is 4,096 game units wide, and the engine's scale works out to roughly 57.6 metres per cell. Fans who counted the cells inside the invisible border walls arrived at about 37.1 km², or 14.3 square miles, for the province of Skyrim. Other sources round the same measurement up to about 40 km² or 15 square miles.
None of these figures include interiors such as Blackreach, which is a large underground worldspace of its own, or the Dawnguard areas Forgotten Vale and the Soul Cairn, or Solstheim from Dragonborn.
How long it takes to cross Skyrim
The most useful measurement is time. One player recorded a trip on foot from Riften in the southeast corner to Solitude in the northwest, following the roads and with random encounters disabled.
- Running (the default movement speed): about 45 to 50 minutes.
- Walking (holding the walk key): about 2.5 hours, roughly 14,000 real steps on a pedometer, which he estimated at around 11 kilometres or 7 miles of road.
That road distance is far longer than the straight line across the map because the route bends around the Throat of the World and follows the river valleys. Fast travel, carriages from the stables outside each capital, and later a horse are what most players use for long hops.
Skyrim vs Oblivion
Oblivion's Cyrodiil is usually measured at about 41 square kilometres (about 16 square miles), which makes it slightly bigger than Skyrim on paper. The two games use the same cell size, so the comparison is fair. Bethesda said before launch that Skyrim would be about the same size as Oblivion but denser, and that matches what you see: Skyrim has more hand-placed dungeons, more vertical terrain and fewer empty forest stretches.
Oblivion's expansions, mainly Shivering Isles, add roughly another 10 square kilometres, so the fully expanded Oblivion is clearly larger than Skyrim plus Solstheim.
Skyrim vs Fallout 4
Fallout 4's Commonwealth is smaller than Skyrim by most measurements. Estimates commonly quoted are around 9 to 10 square miles for Fallout 4 against 14 to 15 for Skyrim, which makes Skyrim about one and a half times the size. Fallout 4 concentrates its content in the dense downtown Boston area, so it can feel bigger than the raw number.
Bear in mind that different sites measure different things (full heightmap, area inside the border walls, or only land above water), which is why you will see figures that disagree by 10 to 20 percent.
Skyrim vs Crimson Desert
Pearl Abyss, the developer of Crimson Desert, said in interviews that its world is at least twice as big as the playable area of Skyrim and larger than the map of Red Dead Redemption 2. That is a developer claim rather than a fan measurement, so treat it as a rough guide until the community has counted the cells. Skyrim remains the reference point that new open-world games get compared against, fifteen years after release.
Skyrim map size: how big the world really is: FAQ
How big is the Skyrim map in square miles?
About 14 to 15 square miles, or roughly 37 to 40 square kilometres, depending on whether you count the full terrain grid or only the area inside the border walls.
How long does it take to walk across Skyrim?
Riften to Solitude by road takes about 45 to 50 minutes at running speed and around 2.5 hours at walking speed, with random encounters turned off.
Is the Skyrim map bigger than Oblivion?
No, Oblivion is slightly larger at about 41 square kilometres versus about 37 for Skyrim. Skyrim has more locations packed into less space.
Is Skyrim bigger than Fallout 4?
Yes, by most measurements. Fallout 4 is usually put at around 9 to 10 square miles, while Skyrim is about 14 to 15.
How much bigger is Crimson Desert than Skyrim?
Pearl Abyss has said Crimson Desert's world is at least twice the size of Skyrim's playable area. No independent measurement exists yet.
Does the map size include Solstheim and the DLC areas?
No. The 37 square kilometre figure covers the province of Skyrim only. Solstheim, Forgotten Vale, the Soul Cairn and Blackreach are separate worldspaces.