The map above shows California and Scotland side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
California vs Scotland Geography
Land area: California has a land area of 155,859 square miles (403,673 km²), while Scotland has 30,090 square miles (77,933 km²). California's land area is 5.2 times (418%) larger than Scotland's.
Total area: California: 163,694 square miles (423,965 km²) vs Scotland: 30,090 square miles (77,933 km²), including inland and coastal water. California's total area is 5.4 times (444%) larger than Scotland's.
Length: California is 761 miles (1,224 km) long from north to south; Scotland is 440 miles (708 km). California's north-south length is 1.7 times (73%) longer than Scotland's.
Width: California spans 706 miles (1,137 km) east to west; Scotland spans 313 miles (504 km). California's east-west width is 2.3 times (126%) wider than Scotland's.
Highest point: California's highest point is Mount Whitney at 14,484 feet (4,415 m); Scotland's is Ben Nevis at 4,413 feet (1,345 m). Mount Whitney is 10,071 feet higher than Ben Nevis.
Lowest point: California's lowest point is Death Valley at -279 feet; Scotland's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. California's lowest point is 279 feet lower.
California vs Scotland Population and History
Population: California has a population of 39,431,263 (2024), while Scotland has 5,480,000 (2022). California's population is 7.2 times (620%) larger than Scotland's.
Population density: California: 253.0 people per square mile vs Scotland: 182.1. California's population density is 1.4 times (39%) higher than Scotland's.
Biggest city: California's biggest city is Los Angeles with 3,878,704 people; Scotland's is Glasgow with 632,350. Los Angeles' population is 6.1 times (513%) larger than Glasgow's.
History: California: Admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state. Scotland: A country within the United Kingdom; a kingdom from the 9th century until the 1707 union with England. In its current form, Scotland is the older of the two by 1,007 years.
California vs Scotland Economy
GDP: California's GDP is $4,048.1 billion (2024) vs Scotland's $191.7 billion. California's economic output is 21.1 times larger than Scotland's.
GDP per capita: California: $102,662 per person vs Scotland: $34,973. California's GDP per capita is 2.9 times (194%) higher than Scotland's.
Official Websites
California official website · Scotland official website
More Size Comparisons
All California size comparisons · All Scotland 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.