The map above shows Iowa and South Australia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs South Australia Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while South Australia has 380,048 square miles (984,321 km²). South Australia's land area is 6.8 times (580%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs South Australia: 380,048 square miles (984,321 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Australia's total area is 6.8 times (575%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; South Australia is 1,078 miles (1,735 km). South Australia's north-south length is 5.0 times (399%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; South Australia spans 825 miles (1,328 km). South Australia's east-west width is 2.5 times (146%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); South Australia's is Mount Woodroffe at 4,708 feet (1,435 m). Mount Woodroffe is 3,039 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; South Australia's is Lake Eyre at -49 feet. South Australia's lowest point is 529 feet lower.
Iowa vs South Australia Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while South Australia has 1,908,182 (2025). Iowa's population is 1.7 times (70%) larger than South Australia's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs South Australia: 5.0. Iowa's population density is 11.6 times higher than South Australia's.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs South Australia's Greater Adelaide (1,491,015). Greater Adelaide's population is 1.5 times (49%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. South Australia: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1836. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 55 years.
Iowa vs South Australia Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs South Australia's $100.2 billion. Iowa's economic output is 2.7 times (165%) larger than South Australia's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs South Australia: $52,511. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.6 times (56%) higher than South Australia's.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · South Australia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All South Australia 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.