The map above shows Iowa and New Zealand side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs New Zealand Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while New Zealand has 102,138 square miles (264,537 km²). New Zealand's land area is 1.8 times (83%) larger than Iowa's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs New Zealand: 103,799 square miles (268,838 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Zealand's total area is 1.8 times (84%) larger than Iowa's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; New Zealand is 1,185 miles (1,908 km). New Zealand's north-south length is 5.5 times (449%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; New Zealand spans 969 miles (1,559 km). New Zealand's east-west width is 2.9 times (189%) wider than Iowa's.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); New Zealand's is Aoraki / Mount Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 m). Aoraki / Mount Cook is 10,549 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; New Zealand's is Taieri Plains at -7 feet. New Zealand's lowest point is 487 feet lower.
Iowa vs New Zealand Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while New Zealand has 5,357,300 (2026). New Zealand's population is 1.7 times (65%) larger than Iowa's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs New Zealand: 52.5. Iowa's population density is 1.1 times (10%) higher than New Zealand's.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs New Zealand's Auckland Region (1,715,600). Auckland Region's population is 1.7 times (71%) larger than Omaha, NE-IA metro area's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. New Zealand: A dominion from September 26, 1907; fully independent by statute in 1947. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 61 years.
Iowa vs New Zealand Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs New Zealand's $264.1 billion. Iowa and New Zealand have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs New Zealand: $49,591. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.7 times (65%) higher than New Zealand's.
Average income: Iowa: $65,225 vs New Zealand: $46,630 average income per person (per capita personal income). Iowa's average income is 1.4 times (40%) higher than New Zealand's.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · New Zealand official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All New Zealand 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.