The map above shows Delaware and South Africa side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Delaware vs South Africa Geography
Land area: Delaware has a land area of 1,949 square miles (5,047 km²), while South Africa has 468,909 square miles (1,214,470 km²). South Africa's land area is 240.6 times larger than Delaware's.
Total area: Delaware: 2,489 square miles (6,446 km²) vs South Africa: 471,445 square miles (1,221,037 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Africa's total area is 189.4 times larger than Delaware's.
Length: Delaware is 98 miles (158 km) long from north to south; South Africa is 1,050 miles (1,690 km). South Africa's north-south length is 10.7 times longer than Delaware's.
Width: Delaware spans 96 miles (155 km) east to west; South Africa spans 1,012 miles (1,628 km). South Africa's east-west width is 10.5 times wider than Delaware's.
Highest point: Delaware's highest point is Ebright Azimuth at 450 feet (137 m); South Africa's is Mafadi at 11,319 feet (3,450 m). Mafadi is 10,869 feet higher than Ebright Azimuth.
Lowest point: Delaware's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; South Africa's is Indian Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
Delaware vs South Africa Population and History
Population: Delaware has a population of 1,051,917 (2024), while South Africa has 63,522,380 (2026). South Africa's population is 60.4 times larger than Delaware's.
Population density: Delaware: 539.9 people per square mile vs South Africa: 135.5. Delaware's population density is 4.0 times (298%) higher than South Africa's.
Biggest city: Delaware's biggest city is Wilmington with 73,176 people; South Africa's is Johannesburg with 4,803,262. Johannesburg's population is 65.6 times larger than Wilmington's.
Largest metro area: Delaware's largest metropolitan area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area (6,330,422 people) vs South Africa's Johannesburg (7,077,175). Johannesburg's population is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area's.
History: Delaware: Admitted to the Union on December 7, 1787, as the 1st state. South Africa: Formed as the Union of South Africa on May 31, 1910; a republic since 1961. In its current form, Delaware is the older of the two by 123 years.
Delaware vs South Africa Economy
GDP: Delaware's GDP is $111.0 billion (2024) vs South Africa's $427.2 billion. South Africa's economic output is 3.8 times (285%) larger than Delaware's.
GDP per capita: Delaware: $105,495 per person vs South Africa: $6,598. Delaware's GDP per capita is 16.0 times higher than South Africa's.
Average income: Delaware: $68,061 vs South Africa: $6,270 average income per person (per capita personal income). Delaware's average income is 10.9 times higher than South Africa's.
Official Websites
Delaware official website · South Africa official website
More Size Comparisons
All Delaware 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.