The map above shows Illinois and Alberta side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Illinois vs Alberta Geography
Land area: Illinois has a land area of 55,513 square miles (143,778 km²), while Alberta has 248,000 square miles (642,317 km²). Alberta's land area is 4.5 times (347%) larger than Illinois'.
Total area: Illinois: 57,913 square miles (149,995 km²) vs Alberta: 255,541 square miles (661,848 km²), including inland and coastal water. Alberta's total area is 4.4 times (341%) larger than Illinois'.
Length: Illinois is 390 miles (628 km) long from north to south; Alberta is 810 miles (1,303 km). Alberta's north-south length is 2.1 times (108%) longer than Illinois'.
Width: Illinois spans 283 miles (456 km) east to west; Alberta spans 544 miles (876 km). Alberta's east-west width is 1.9 times (92%) wider than Illinois'.
Highest point: Illinois's highest point is Charles Mound at 1,232 feet (376 m); Alberta's is Mount Columbia at 12,293 feet (3,747 m). Mount Columbia is 11,061 feet higher than Charles Mound.
Lowest point: Illinois's lowest point is Mississippi River at 292 feet; Alberta's is Slave River at 499 feet. Illinois's lowest point is 207 feet lower.
Illinois vs Alberta Population and History
Population: Illinois has a population of 12,710,158 (2024), while Alberta has 5,048,151 (2026). Illinois' population is 2.5 times (152%) larger than Alberta's.
Population density: Illinois: 229.0 people per square mile vs Alberta: 20.4. Illinois' population density is 11.2 times higher than Alberta's.
Biggest city: Illinois's biggest city is Chicago with 2,721,308 people; Alberta's is Calgary with 1,306,784. Chicago's population is 2.1 times (108%) larger than Calgary's.
Largest metro area: Illinois's largest metropolitan area is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (9,408,576 people) vs Alberta's Calgary CMA (1,481,806). Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area's population is 6.3 times (535%) larger than Calgary CMA's.
History: Illinois: Admitted to the Union on December 3, 1818, as the 21st state. Alberta: Joined Confederation on September 1, 1905. In its current form, Illinois is the older of the two by 87 years.
Illinois vs Alberta Economy
GDP: Illinois's GDP is $1,148.1 billion (2024) vs Alberta's $346.0 billion. Illinois' economic output is 3.3 times (232%) larger than Alberta's.
GDP per capita: Illinois: $90,330 per person vs Alberta: $70,487. Illinois' GDP per capita is 1.3 times (28%) higher than Alberta's.
Official Websites
Illinois official website · Alberta official website
More Size Comparisons
All Illinois size comparisons · All Alberta 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.