The map above shows California and Spain side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
California vs Spain Geography
Land area: California has a land area of 155,859 square miles (403,673 km²), while Spain has 192,657 square miles (498,980 km²). Spain's land area is 1.2 times (24%) larger than California's.
Total area: California: 163,694 square miles (423,965 km²) vs Spain: 195,364 square miles (505,990 km²), including inland and coastal water. Spain's total area is 1.2 times (19%) larger than California's.
Length: California is 761 miles (1,224 km) long from north to south; Spain is 546 miles (879 km). California's north-south length is 1.4 times (39%) longer than Spain's.
Width: California spans 706 miles (1,137 km) east to west; Spain spans 697 miles (1,122 km). California and Spain have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: California's highest point is Mount Whitney at 14,484 feet (4,415 m); Spain's is Teide (Tenerife) at 12,188 feet (3,715 m). Mount Whitney is 2,296 feet higher than Teide (Tenerife).
Lowest point: California's lowest point is Death Valley at -279 feet; Spain's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. California's lowest point is 279 feet lower.
California vs Spain Population and History
Population: California has a population of 39,431,263 (2024), while Spain has 49,801,559 (2026). Spain's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than California's.
Population density: California: 253.0 people per square mile vs Spain: 258.5. California and Spain have about the same population density.
Biggest city: California's biggest city is Los Angeles with 3,878,704 people; Spain's is Madrid with 3,266,126. Los Angeles' population is 1.2 times (19%) larger than Madrid's.
Largest metro area: California's largest metropolitan area is Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area (12,927,614 people) vs Spain's Madrid (6,497,000). Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area's population is 2.0 times (99%) larger than Madrid's.
History: California: Admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state. Spain: A unified kingdom since 1479; the current constitution dates from 1978. In its current form, Spain is the older of the two by 371 years.
California vs Spain Economy
GDP: California's GDP is $4,048.1 billion (2024) vs Spain's $1,906.5 billion. California's economic output is 2.1 times (112%) larger than Spain's.
GDP per capita: California: $102,662 per person vs Spain: $38,627. California's GDP per capita is 2.7 times (166%) higher than Spain's.
Average income: California: $86,232 vs Spain: $37,120 average income per person (per capita personal income). California's average income is 2.3 times (132%) higher than Spain's.
Official Websites
California official website · Spain official website
More Size Comparisons
All California size comparisons · All Spain 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.