The map above shows Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Australian Capital Territory vs New South Wales Geography
Land area: Australian Capital Territory has a land area of 910 square miles (2,358 km²), while New South Wales has 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²). New South Wales' land area is 339.5 times larger than Australian Capital Territory's.
Total area: Australian Capital Territory: 910 square miles (2,358 km²) vs New South Wales: 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²), including inland and coastal water. New South Wales' total area is 339.5 times larger than Australian Capital Territory's.
Length: Australian Capital Territory is 54 miles (87 km) long from north to south; New South Wales is 678 miles (1,092 km). New South Wales' north-south length is 12.6 times longer than Australian Capital Territory's.
Width: Australian Capital Territory spans 38 miles (61 km) east to west; New South Wales spans 831 miles (1,338 km). New South Wales' east-west width is 21.9 times wider than Australian Capital Territory's.
Highest point: Australian Capital Territory's highest point is Bimberi Peak at 6,273 feet (1,912 m); New South Wales's is Mount Kosciuszko at 7,310 feet (2,228 m). Mount Kosciuszko is 1,037 feet higher than Bimberi Peak.
Lowest point: Australian Capital Territory's lowest point is Molonglo River at 1,407 feet; New South Wales's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. New South Wales's lowest point is 1,407 feet lower.
Australian Capital Territory vs New South Wales Population and History
Population: Australian Capital Territory has a population of 486,231 (2025), while New South Wales has 8,624,534 (2025). New South Wales' population is 17.7 times larger than Australian Capital Territory's.
Population density: Australian Capital Territory: 534.3 people per square mile vs New South Wales: 27.9. Australian Capital Territory's population density is 19.2 times higher than New South Wales'.
Largest metro area: Australian Capital Territory's largest metropolitan area is Greater Canberra (486,231 people) vs New South Wales's Greater Sydney (5,638,830). Greater Sydney's population is 11.6 times larger than Greater Canberra's.
History: Australian Capital Territory: Established as the Federal Capital Territory on January 1, 1911. New South Wales: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1788. In its current form, New South Wales is the older of the two by 10 years.
Australian Capital Territory vs New South Wales Economy
GDP: Australian Capital Territory's GDP is $38.0 billion (2025) vs New South Wales's $547.1 billion. New South Wales' economic output is 14.4 times larger than Australian Capital Territory's.
GDP per capita: Australian Capital Territory: $78,152 per person vs New South Wales: $63,435. Australian Capital Territory's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (23%) higher than New South Wales'.
Official Websites
Australian Capital Territory official website · New South Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All Australian Capital Territory size comparisons · All New South Wales size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.