The map above shows Illinois and New Zealand side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs New Zealand Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while New Zealand has 102,138 square miles (264,537 km²). New Zealand's land area is 1.8 times (84%) larger than Illinois'.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs New Zealand: 103,799 square miles (268,838 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Zealand's total area is 1.8 times (79%) larger than Illinois'.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; New Zealand is 1,185 miles (1,908 km). New Zealand's north-south length is 3.0 times (204%) longer than Illinois'.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; New Zealand spans 969 miles (1,559 km). New Zealand's east-west width is 3.4 times (242%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); New Zealand's is Aoraki / Mount Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 m). Aoraki / Mount Cook is 10,986 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; New Zealand's is Taieri Plains at -7 feet. New Zealand's lowest point is 299 feet lower.
Illinois vs New Zealand Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while New Zealand has 5,357,300 (2026). Illinois' population is 2.4 times (137%) larger than New Zealand's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs New Zealand: 52.5. Illinois' population density is 4.4 times (336%) higher than New Zealand's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs New Zealand's Auckland Region (1,715,600). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 5.5 times (448%) larger than Auckland Region's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. New Zealand: A dominion from September 26, 1907; fully independent by statute in 1947. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 89 years.
Illinois vs New Zealand Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs New Zealand's $264.1 billion. Illinois' economic output is 4.3 times (335%) larger than New Zealand's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs New Zealand: $49,591. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.8 times (82%) higher than New Zealand's.
Average income: Illinois: $74,522 vs New Zealand: $46,630 average income per person (per capita personal income). Illinois' average income is 1.6 times (60%) higher than New Zealand's.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · New Zealand official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois size comparisons · All New Zealand 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.