The map above shows California and South America side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
California vs South America Geography
Land area
- California has a land area of 155,859 square miles (403,673 km²), while South America has 6,888,063 square miles (17,840,000 km²).
- South America's land area is 44.2 times larger than California's.
Length
- California is 761 miles (1,224 km) long from north to south; South America is 4,904 miles (7,892 km).
- South America's north-south length is 6.4 times (544%) longer than California's.
Width
- California spans 706 miles (1,137 km) east to west; South America spans 5,046 miles (8,121 km).
- South America's east-west width is 7.1 times (615%) wider than California's.
Highest point
- California's highest point is Mount Whitney at 14,484 feet (4,415 m); South America's is Aconcagua at 22,838 feet (6,961 m).
- Aconcagua is 8,354 feet higher than Mount Whitney.
Lowest point
- California's lowest point is Death Valley at -279 feet; South America's is Laguna del Carbon at -344 feet.
- South America's lowest point is 65 feet lower.
California vs South America Population and History
Population
- California has a population of 39,431,263 (2024), while South America has 442,000,000 (2025 UN estimate).
- South America's population is 11.2 times larger than California's.
Population density
- California: 253.0 people per square mile vs South America: 64.2.
- California's population density is 3.9 times (294%) higher than South America's.
Official Websites
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More Size Comparisons
All California size comparisons · All South America 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.