The map above shows Kentucky and New Zealand side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Kentucky vs New Zealand Geography
Land area: Kentucky has a land area of 39,485 square miles (102,267 km²), while New Zealand has 102,138 square miles (264,537 km²). New Zealand's land area is 2.6 times (159%) larger than Kentucky's.
Total area: Kentucky: 40,406 square miles (104,651 km²) vs New Zealand: 103,799 square miles (268,838 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Zealand's total area is 2.6 times (157%) larger than Kentucky's.
Length: Kentucky is 257 miles (414 km) long from north to south; New Zealand is 1,185 miles (1,908 km). New Zealand's north-south length is 4.6 times (361%) longer than Kentucky's.
Width: Kentucky spans 418 miles (672 km) east to west; New Zealand spans 969 miles (1,559 km). New Zealand's east-west width is 2.3 times (132%) wider than Kentucky's.
Highest point: Kentucky's highest point is Black Mountain at 4,134 feet (1,260 m); New Zealand's is Aoraki / Mount Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 m). Aoraki / Mount Cook is 8,084 feet higher than Black Mountain.
Lowest point: Kentucky's lowest point is Mississippi River at 270 feet; New Zealand's is Taieri Plains at -7 feet. New Zealand's lowest point is 277 feet lower.
Kentucky vs New Zealand Population and History
Population: Kentucky has a population of 4,588,372 (2024), while New Zealand has 5,357,300 (2026). New Zealand's population is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Kentucky's.
Population density: Kentucky: 116.2 people per square mile vs New Zealand: 52.5. Kentucky's population density is 2.2 times (121%) higher than New Zealand's.
Largest metro area: Kentucky's largest metropolitan area is Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area (2,302,815 people) vs New Zealand's Auckland Region (1,715,600). Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN metro area's population is 1.3 times (34%) larger than Auckland Region's.
History: Kentucky: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state. New Zealand: A dominion from September 26, 1907; fully independent by statute in 1947. In its current form, Kentucky is the older of the two by 115 years.
Kentucky vs New Zealand Economy
GDP: Kentucky's GDP is $295.4 billion (2024) vs New Zealand's $264.1 billion. Kentucky's economic output is 1.1 times (12%) larger than New Zealand's.
GDP per capita: Kentucky: $64,375 per person vs New Zealand: $49,591. Kentucky's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (30%) higher than New Zealand's.
Average income: Kentucky: $58,256 vs New Zealand: $46,630 average income per person (per capita personal income). Kentucky's average income is 1.2 times (25%) higher than New Zealand's.
Official Websites
Kentucky official website · New Zealand official website
More Size Comparisons
All Kentucky 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.