The map above shows Wisconsin and South Africa side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Wisconsin vs South Africa Geography
Land area: Wisconsin has a land area of 54,168 square miles (140,294 km²), while South Africa has 468,909 square miles (1,214,470 km²). South Africa's land area is 8.7 times (766%) larger than Wisconsin's.
Total area: Wisconsin: 65,497 square miles (169,636 km²) vs South Africa: 471,445 square miles (1,221,037 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Africa's total area is 7.2 times (620%) larger than Wisconsin's.
Length: Wisconsin is 368 miles (593 km) long from north to south; South Africa is 1,050 miles (1,690 km). South Africa's north-south length is 2.9 times (185%) longer than Wisconsin's.
Width: Wisconsin spans 323 miles (521 km) east to west; South Africa spans 1,012 miles (1,628 km). South Africa's east-west width is 3.1 times (213%) wider than Wisconsin's.
Highest point: Wisconsin's highest point is Timms Hill at 1,946 feet (593 m); South Africa's is Mafadi at 11,319 feet (3,450 m). Mafadi is 9,373 feet higher than Timms Hill.
Lowest point: Wisconsin's lowest point is Lake Michigan at 577 feet; South Africa's is Indian Ocean at 0 feet. South Africa's lowest point is 577 feet lower.
Wisconsin vs South Africa Population and History
Population: Wisconsin has a population of 5,960,975 (2024), while South Africa has 63,522,380 (2026). South Africa's population is 10.7 times larger than Wisconsin's.
Population density: Wisconsin: 110.0 people per square mile vs South Africa: 135.5. South Africa's population density is 1.2 times (23%) higher than Wisconsin's.
Biggest city: Wisconsin's biggest city is Milwaukee with 563,531 people; South Africa's is Johannesburg with 4,803,262. Johannesburg's population is 8.5 times (752%) larger than Milwaukee's.
Largest metro area: Wisconsin's largest metropolitan area is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area (3,757,952 people) vs South Africa's Johannesburg (7,077,175). Johannesburg's population is 1.9 times (88%) larger than Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area's.
History: Wisconsin: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. South Africa: Formed as the Union of South Africa on May 31, 1910; a republic since 1961. In its current form, Wisconsin is the older of the two by 62 years.
Wisconsin vs South Africa Economy
GDP: Wisconsin's GDP is $453.3 billion (2024) vs South Africa's $427.2 billion. Wisconsin's economic output is 1.1 times (6%) larger than South Africa's.
GDP per capita: Wisconsin: $76,044 per person vs South Africa: $6,598. Wisconsin's GDP per capita is 11.5 times higher than South Africa's.
Average income: Wisconsin: $67,755 vs South Africa: $6,270 average income per person (per capita personal income). Wisconsin's average income is 10.8 times higher than South Africa's.
Official Websites
Wisconsin official website · South Africa official website
More Size Comparisons
All Wisconsin size comparisons · All South Africa 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.