The map above shows Iowa and France side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs France Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while France has 210,016 square miles (543,940 km²). France's land area is 3.8 times (276%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs France: 213,011 square miles (551,695 km²), including inland and coastal water. France's total area is 3.8 times (279%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; France is 742 miles (1,194 km). France's north-south length is 3.4 times (244%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; France spans 818 miles (1,316 km). France's east-west width is 2.4 times (144%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); France's is Mont Blanc at 15,778 feet (4,809 m). Mont Blanc is 14,109 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; France's is Etang de Lavalduc at -33 feet. France's lowest point is 513 feet lower.
Iowa vs France Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while France has 69,081,996 (2026). France's population is 21.3 times larger than Iowa's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs France: 328.9. France's population density is 5.7 times (467%) higher than Iowa's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; France's is Paris with 2,148,271. Paris' population is 10.1 times larger than Des Moines'.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs France's Paris (9,381,921). Paris' population is 9.4 times (837%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. France: An independent state since the Treaty of Verdun in 843; the current Fifth Republic dates from 1958. In its current form, France is the older of the two by 1,003 years.
Iowa vs France Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs France's $3,366.3 billion. France's economic output is 12.7 times larger than Iowa's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs France: $48,986. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.7 times (67%) higher than France's.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs France: $48,630 average income per person (per capita personal income). Iowa's average income is 1.3 times (34%) higher than France's.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · France official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All France 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.