The map above shows South Dakota and Northern Ireland side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Dakota vs Northern Ireland Geography
Land area: South Dakota has a land area of 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²), while Northern Ireland has 5,236 square miles (13,562 km²). South Dakota's land area is 14.5 times larger than Northern Ireland's.
Total area: South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²) vs Northern Ireland: 5,456 square miles (14,130 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 14.1 times larger than Northern Ireland's.
Length: South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km) long from north to south; Northern Ireland is 83 miles (134 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 5.3 times (434%) longer than Northern Ireland's.
Width: South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km) east to west; Northern Ireland spans 107 miles (173 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 3.5 times (247%) wider than Northern Ireland's.
Highest point: South Dakota's highest point is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m); Northern Ireland's is Slieve Donard at 2,789 feet (850 m). Black Elk Peak is 4,409 feet higher than Slieve Donard.
Lowest point: South Dakota's lowest point is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet; Northern Ireland's is Irish Sea at 0 feet. Northern Ireland's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
South Dakota vs Northern Ireland Population and History
Population: South Dakota has a population of 924,669 (2024), while Northern Ireland has 1,905,000 (2022). Northern Ireland's population is 2.1 times (106%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: South Dakota: 12.2 people per square mile vs Northern Ireland: 363.8. Northern Ireland's population density is 29.8 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: South Dakota's biggest city is Sioux Falls with 209,289 people; Northern Ireland's is Belfast with 348,005. Belfast's population is 1.7 times (66%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
History: South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. Northern Ireland: A country within the United Kingdom; created by the partition of Ireland on May 3, 1921. In its current form, South Dakota is the older of the two by 32 years.
South Dakota vs Northern Ireland Economy
GDP: South Dakota's GDP is $76.8 billion (2024) vs Northern Ireland's $58.8 billion. South Dakota's economic output is 1.3 times (31%) larger than Northern Ireland's.
GDP per capita: South Dakota: $83,052 per person vs Northern Ireland: $30,686. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 2.7 times (171%) higher than Northern Ireland's.
Official Websites
South Dakota official website · Northern Ireland official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Dakota size comparisons · All Northern Ireland 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.