The map above shows Illinois and New South Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs New South Wales Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while New South Wales has 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²). New South Wales' land area is 5.6 times (457%) larger than Illinois'.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs New South Wales: 309,130 square miles (800,642 km²), including inland and coastal water. New South Wales' total area is 5.3 times (434%) larger than Illinois'.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; New South Wales is 678 miles (1,092 km). New South Wales' north-south length is 1.7 times (74%) longer than Illinois'.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; New South Wales spans 831 miles (1,338 km). New South Wales' east-west width is 2.9 times (194%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); New South Wales's is Mount Kosciuszko at 7,310 feet (2,228 m). Mount Kosciuszko is 6,078 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; New South Wales's is Pacific Ocean at 0 feet. New South Wales's lowest point is 292 feet lower.
Illinois vs New South Wales Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while New South Wales has 8,624,534 (2025). Illinois' population is 1.5 times (47%) larger than New South Wales'.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs New South Wales: 27.9. Illinois' population density is 8.2 times (721%) higher than New South Wales'.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs New South Wales's Greater Sydney (5,638,830). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 1.7 times (67%) larger than Greater Sydney's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. New South Wales: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1788. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 83 years.
Illinois vs New South Wales Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs New South Wales's $547.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 2.1 times (110%) larger than New South Wales'.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs New South Wales: $63,435. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.4 times (42%) higher than New South Wales'.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · New South Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois 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.