The map above shows Iowa and Nova Scotia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Iowa vs Nova Scotia Geography
Land area: Iowa has a land area of 55,854 square miles (144,660 km²), while Nova Scotia has 20,594 square miles (53,338 km²). Iowa's land area is 2.7 times (171%) larger than Nova Scotia's.
Total area: Iowa: 56,273 square miles (145,746 km²) vs Nova Scotia: 21,345 square miles (55,284 km²), including inland and coastal water. Iowa's total area is 2.6 times (164%) larger than Nova Scotia's.
Length: Iowa is 216 miles (347 km) long from north to south; Nova Scotia is 342 miles (550 km). Nova Scotia's north-south length is 1.6 times (58%) longer than Iowa's.
Width: Iowa spans 335 miles (539 km) east to west; Nova Scotia spans 338 miles (544 km). Iowa and Nova Scotia have about the same east-west width.
Highest point: Iowa's highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,669 feet (509 m); Nova Scotia's is White Hill at 1,749 feet (533 m). White Hill is 80 feet higher than Hawkeye Point.
Lowest point: Iowa's lowest point is Mississippi River at 480 feet; Nova Scotia's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Nova Scotia's lowest point is 480 feet lower.
Iowa vs Nova Scotia Population and History
Population: Iowa has a population of 3,241,488 (2024), while Nova Scotia has 1,090,074 (2026). Iowa's population is 3.0 times (197%) larger than Nova Scotia's.
Population density: Iowa: 58.0 people per square mile vs Nova Scotia: 52.9. Iowa's population density is 1.1 times (10%) higher than Nova Scotia's.
Biggest city: Iowa's biggest city is Des Moines with 213,096 people; Nova Scotia's is ''Halifax'' with 439,819. ''Halifax'''s population is 2.1 times (106%) larger than Des Moines'.
Largest metro area: Iowa's largest metropolitan area is Omaha, NE-IA metro area (1,001,010 people) vs Nova Scotia's Halifax CMA (465,703). Omaha, NE-IA metro area's population is 2.1 times (115%) larger than Halifax CMA's.
History: Iowa: Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, as the 29th state. Nova Scotia: Joined Confederation on July 1, 1867, as one of the four founding provinces. In its current form, Iowa is the older of the two by 21 years.
Iowa vs Nova Scotia Economy
GDP: Iowa's GDP is $265.8 billion (2024) vs Nova Scotia's $47.7 billion. Iowa's economic output is 5.6 times (457%) larger than Nova Scotia's.
GDP per capita: Iowa: $81,998 per person vs Nova Scotia: $44,056. Iowa's GDP per capita is 1.9 times (86%) higher than Nova Scotia's.
Official Websites
Iowa official website · Nova Scotia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Iowa size comparisons · All Nova Scotia 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.