Question

can area be smaller than perimeter

Answer 1

Yes, area can be smaller than perimeter.This happens in  the square.A square with side length 2,its area equals 4 while its diameter equals 8.The area can be smaller than perimeter in certain cases of geometrical figures.

Answer 2

Yes, the area can be smaller than perimeter.
Area is estimated in square units and perimeter is estimated long units (those would simply be units) so as long as you are evident that you are not discussing very similar things, the number identified with zone can be not exactly the number identified with the edge.