The map above shows Iowa and Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs Wales Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while Wales has 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²). Iowa's land area is 7.0 times (596%) larger than Wales'.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs Wales: 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²), including inland and coastal water. Iowa's total area is 7.0 times (601%) larger than Wales'.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; Wales is 149 miles (239 km). Iowa's north-south length is 1.4 times (45%) longer than Wales'.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; Wales spans 111 miles (179 km). Iowa's east-west width is 3.0 times (202%) wider than Wales'.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); Wales's is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 3,560 feet (1,085 m). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is 1,891 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; Wales's is Irish Sea at 0 feet. Wales's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Iowa vs Wales Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while Wales has 3,105,000 (2022). Iowa and Wales have about the same population.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs Wales: 387.0. Wales' population density is 6.7 times (567%) higher than Iowa's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; Wales's is Cardiff with 372,089. Cardiff's population is 1.7 times (75%) larger than Des Moines'.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. Wales: A country within the United Kingdom; formally joined with England by the Laws in Wales Acts of 1536. In its current form, Wales is the older of the two by 310 years.
Iowa vs Wales Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs Wales's $89.5 billion. Iowa's economic output is 3.0 times (197%) larger than Wales'.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs Wales: $28,606. Iowa's GDP per capita is 2.9 times (187%) higher than Wales'.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All 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.