The map above shows South Africa and Western Australia side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Africa vs Western Australia Geography
Land area
- South Africa has a land area of 468,909 square miles (1,214,470 km²), while Western Australia has 975,685 square miles (2,527,013 km²).
- Western Australia's land area is 2.1 times (108%) larger than South Africa's.
Total area
- South Africa: 471,445 square miles (1,221,037 km²) vs Western Australia: 975,685 square miles (2,527,013 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Western Australia's total area is 2.1 times (107%) larger than South Africa's.
Length
- South Africa is 1,050 miles (1,690 km) long from north to south; Western Australia is 1,590 miles (2,558 km).
- Western Australia's north-south length is 1.5 times (51%) longer than South Africa's.
Width
- South Africa spans 1,012 miles (1,628 km) east to west; Western Australia spans 1,286 miles (2,069 km).
- Western Australia's east-west width is 1.3 times (27%) wider than South Africa's.
Highest point
- South Africa's highest point is Mafadi at 11,319 feet (3,450 m); Western Australia's is Mount Meharry at 4,098 feet (1,249 m).
- Mafadi is 7,221 feet higher than Mount Meharry.
Lowest point
- South Africa's lowest point is Indian Ocean at 0 feet; Western Australia's is Indian Ocean at 0 feet.
- Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
South Africa vs Western Australia Population and History
Population
- South Africa has a population of 63,522,380 (2026), while Western Australia has 3,061,672 (2025).
- South Africa's population is 20.7 times larger than Western Australia's.
Population density
- South Africa: 135.5 people per square mile vs Western Australia: 3.1.
- South Africa's population density is 43.7 times higher than Western Australia's.
Largest metro area
- South Africa's largest metropolitan area is Johannesburg (7,077,175 people) vs Western Australia's Greater Perth (2,452,765).
- Johannesburg's population is 2.9 times (189%) larger than Greater Perth's.
History
- South Africa: Formed as the Union of South Africa on May 31, 1910; a republic since 1961.
- Western Australia: Became an Australian state at Federation on January 1, 1901; founded as a colony in 1829.
- In its current form, Western Australia is the older of the two by 9 years.
South Africa vs Western Australia Economy
GDP
- South Africa's GDP is $427.2 billion (2025) vs Western Australia's $304.6 billion.
- South Africa's economic output is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Western Australia's.
GDP per capita
- South Africa: $6,598 per person vs Western Australia: $99,488.
- Western Australia's GDP per capita is 15.1 times higher than South Africa's.
Official Websites
South Africa official website · Western Australia official website
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More Size Comparisons
All South Africa size comparisons · All Western 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.