The map above shows California and Wales side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
California vs Wales Geography
Land area
- California has a land area of 155,859 square miles (403,673 km²), while Wales has 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²).
- California's land area is 19.4 times larger than Wales'.
Total area
- California: 163,694 square miles (423,965 km²) vs Wales: 8,023 square miles (20,779 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- California's total area is 20.4 times larger than Wales'.
Length
- California is 761 miles (1,224 km) long from north to south; Wales is 149 miles (239 km).
- California's north-south length is 5.1 times (411%) longer than Wales'.
Width
- California spans 706 miles (1,137 km) east to west; Wales spans 111 miles (179 km).
- California's east-west width is 6.4 times (536%) wider than Wales'.
Highest point
- California's highest point is Mount Whitney at 14,484 feet (4,415 m); Wales's is Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) at 3,560 feet (1,085 m).
- Mount Whitney is 10,924 feet higher than Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa).
Lowest point
- California's lowest point is Death Valley at -279 feet; Wales's is Irish Sea at 0 feet.
- California's lowest point is 279 feet lower.
California vs Wales Population and History
Population
- California has a population of 39,431,263 (2024), while Wales has 3,105,000 (2022).
- California's population is 12.7 times larger than Wales'.
Population density
- California: 253.0 people per square mile vs Wales: 387.0.
- Wales' population density is 1.5 times (53%) higher than California's.
Biggest city
- California's biggest city is Los Angeles with 3,878,704 people; Wales's is Cardiff with 372,089.
- Los Angeles' population is 10.4 times larger than Cardiff's.
History
- California: Admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850, as the 31st state.
- 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 314 years.
California vs Wales Economy
GDP
- California's GDP is $4,048.1 billion (2024) vs Wales's $89.5 billion.
- California's economic output is 45.2 times larger than Wales'.
GDP per capita
- California: $102,662 per person vs Wales: $28,606.
- California's GDP per capita is 3.6 times (259%) higher than Wales'.
Official Websites
California official website · Wales official website
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More Size Comparisons
All California 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.