The map above shows Northwest Territories and South Australia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Northwest Territories vs South Australia Geography
Land area: Northwest Territories has a land area of 456,792 square miles (1,183,085 km²), while South Australia has 380,048 square miles (984,321 km²). Northwest Territories' land area is 1.2 times (20%) larger than South Australia's.
Total area: Northwest Territories: 519,734 square miles (1,346,106 km²) vs South Australia: 380,048 square miles (984,321 km²), including inland and coastal water. Northwest Territories' total area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than South Australia's.
Length: Northwest Territories is 1,310 miles (2,107 km) long from north to south; South Australia is 1,078 miles (1,735 km). Northwest Territories' north-south length is 1.2 times (22%) longer than South Australia's.
Width: Northwest Territories spans 990 miles (1,593 km) east to west; South Australia spans 825 miles (1,328 km). Northwest Territories' east-west width is 1.2 times (20%) wider than South Australia's.
Highest point: Northwest Territories's highest point is Mount Nirvana at 9,098 feet (2,773 m); South Australia's is Mount Woodroffe at 4,708 feet (1,435 m). Mount Nirvana is 4,390 feet higher than Mount Woodroffe.
Lowest point: Northwest Territories's lowest point is Arctic Ocean at 0 feet; South Australia's is Lake Eyre at -49 feet. South Australia's lowest point is 49 feet lower.
Northwest Territories vs South Australia Population and History
Population: Northwest Territories has a population of 45,257 (2024), while South Australia has 1,908,182 (2025). South Australia's population is 42.2 times larger than Northwest Territories'.
Population density: Northwest Territories: 0.1 people per square mile vs South Australia: 5.0. South Australia's population density is 50.0 times higher than Northwest Territories'.
Largest metro area: Northwest Territories's largest metropolitan area is Yellowknife CMA (20,340 people) vs South Australia's Greater Adelaide (1,491,015). Greater Adelaide's population is 73.3 times larger than Yellowknife CMA's.
History: Northwest Territories: Became a Canadian territory on July 15, 1870. South Australia: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1836. In its current form, Northwest Territories is the older of the two by 31 years.
Northwest Territories vs South Australia Economy
GDP: Northwest Territories's GDP is $3.7 billion (2024) vs South Australia's $100.2 billion. South Australia's economic output is 27.1 times larger than Northwest Territories'.
GDP per capita: Northwest Territories: $82,646 per person vs South Australia: $52,511. Northwest Territories' GDP per capita is 1.6 times (57%) higher than South Australia's.
Official Websites
Northwest Territories official website · South Australia official website
More Size Comparisons
All Northwest Territories size comparisons · All South Australia 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.