90,000 Square Miles

The U.S. Government has declared 90,000 square miles affected by Hurricane Katrina a federal disaster area. How big is 90,000 square miles?

For a little perspective:

England is roughly 93,000 square miles.

Italy is 116,000 square miles.

Germany is 138,000 square miles.

The total area of our 12th largest state, Minnesota, is 86,943 square miles.

The total area of our 11th largest state, Michigan, is 96,810 square miles.

The combined area of the New England states, where I live, is about 18,000 square miles smaller, at a grand total of 71,997 square miles. Imagine six states, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connected all devasted by a single storm. I can't.

One other tidbit:

90,000 square miles is more than half the total area of Iraq (167,400 square miles).

Now you're getting an idea of the scope of this thing.