The map above shows British Columbia and New South Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
British Columbia vs New South Wales Geography
Land area: British Columbia has a land area of 357,216 square miles (925,186 km²), while New South Wales has 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²). British Columbia's land area is 1.2 times (16%) larger than New South Wales'.
Total area: British Columbia: 364,764 square miles (944,735 km²) vs New South Wales: 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²), including inland and coastal water. British Columbia's total area is 1.2 times (18%) larger than New South Wales'.
Length: British Columbia is 1,017 miles (1,637 km) long from north to south; New South Wales is 678 miles (1,092 km). British Columbia's north-south length is 1.5 times (50%) longer than New South Wales'.
Width: British Columbia spans 1,245 miles (2,003 km) east to west; New South Wales spans 831 miles (1,338 km). British Columbia's east-west width is 1.5 times (50%) wider than New South Wales'.
Highest point: British Columbia's highest point is Mount Fairweather at 15,299 feet (4,663 m); New South Wales's is Mount Kosciuszko at 7,310 feet (2,228 m). Mount Fairweather is 7,989 feet higher than Mount Kosciuszko.
Lowest point: British Columbia's lowest point is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet; New South Wales's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
British Columbia vs New South Wales Population and History
Population: British Columbia has a population of 5,658,528 (2026), while New South Wales has 8,624,534 (2025). New South Wales' population is 1.5 times (52%) larger than British Columbia's.
Population density: British Columbia: 15.8 people per square mile vs New South Wales: 27.9. New South Wales' population density is 1.8 times (77%) higher than British Columbia's.
Largest metro area: British Columbia's largest metropolitan area is Vancouver CMA (2,642,825 people) vs New South Wales's Greater Sydney (5,638,830). Greater Sydney's population is 2.1 times (113%) larger than Vancouver CMA's.
History: British Columbia: Joined Confederation on July 20, 1871. New South Wales: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1788. In its current form, British Columbia is the older of the two by 30 years.
British Columbia vs New South Wales Economy
GDP: British Columbia's GDP is $313.3 billion (2024) vs New South Wales's $547.1 billion. New South Wales' economic output is 1.7 times (75%) larger than British Columbia's.
GDP per capita: British Columbia: $55,241 per person vs New South Wales: $63,435. New South Wales' GDP per capita is 1.1 times (15%) higher than British Columbia's.
Official Websites
British Columbia official website · New South Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All British Columbia 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.