The map above shows Northern Ireland and Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Northern Ireland vs Wales Geography
Land area: Northern Ireland has a land area of 5,236 square miles (13,562 km²), while Wales has 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²). Wales' land area is 1.5 times (53%) larger than Northern Ireland's.
Total area: Northern Ireland: 5,456 square miles (14,130 km²) vs Wales: 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²), including inland and coastal water. Wales' total area is 1.5 times (47%) larger than Northern Ireland's.
Length: Northern Ireland is 83 miles (134 km) long from north to south; Wales is 149 miles (239 km). Wales' north-south length is 1.8 times (80%) longer than Northern Ireland's.
Width: Northern Ireland spans 107 miles (173 km) east to west; Wales spans 111 miles (179 km). Northern Ireland and Wales have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Northern Ireland's highest point is Slieve Donard at 2,789 feet (850 m); Wales's is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 3,560 feet (1,085 m). Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is 771 feet higher than Slieve Donard.
Lowest point: Northern Ireland's lowest point is Irish Sea at 0 feet; Wales's is Irish Sea at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Northern Ireland vs Wales Population and History
Population: Northern Ireland has a population of 1,905,000 (2022), while Wales has 3,105,000 (2022). Wales' population is 1.6 times (63%) larger than Northern Ireland's.
Population density: Northern Ireland: 363.8 people per square mile vs Wales: 387.0. Wales' population density is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Northern Ireland's.
Biggest city: Northern Ireland's biggest city is Belfast with 348,005 people; Wales's is Cardiff with 372,089. Cardiff's population is 1.1 times (7%) larger than Belfast's.
History: Northern Ireland: A country within the United Kingdom; created by the partition of Ireland on May 3, 1921. 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 385 years.
Northern Ireland vs Wales Economy
GDP: Northern Ireland's GDP is $58.8 billion (2022) vs Wales's $89.5 billion. Wales' economic output is 1.5 times (52%) larger than Northern Ireland's.
GDP per capita: Northern Ireland: $30,686 per person vs Wales: $28,606. Northern Ireland's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Wales'.
Official Websites
Northern Ireland official website · Wales official website
More Size Comparisons
All Northern Ireland 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.