The map above shows South Carolina and Ireland side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Carolina vs Ireland Geography
Land area: South Carolina has a land area of 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²), while Ireland has 26,596 square miles (68,883 km²). South Carolina's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Ireland's.
Total area: South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²) vs Ireland: 27,133 square miles (70,273 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Carolina's total area is 1.2 times (18%) larger than Ireland's.
Length: South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km) long from north to south; Ireland is 287 miles (462 km). Ireland's north-south length is 1.2 times (22%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Ireland spans 191 miles (308 km). South Carolina's east-west width is 1.5 times (46%) wider than Ireland's.
Highest point: South Carolina's highest point is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m); Ireland's is Carrauntoohil at 3,406 feet (1,038 m). Sassafras Mountain is 91 feet higher than Carrauntoohil.
Lowest point: South Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Ireland's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Both lowest points are at or near sea level.
South Carolina vs Ireland Population and History
Population: South Carolina has a population of 5,478,831 (2024), while Ireland has 5,525,600 (2026). South Carolina and Ireland have about the same population.
Population density: South Carolina: 182.2 people per square mile vs Ireland: 207.8. Ireland's population density is 1.1 times (14%) higher than South Carolina's.
Biggest city: South Carolina's biggest city is Charleston with 157,665 people; Ireland's is Dublin with 592,713. Dublin's population is 3.8 times (276%) larger than Charleston's.
Largest metro area: South Carolina's largest metropolitan area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370 people) vs Ireland's Greater Dublin Area (2,082,605). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 1.4 times (38%) larger than Greater Dublin Area's.
History: South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state. Ireland: Independent since December 6, 1922, as the Irish Free State; a republic since 1949. In its current form, South Carolina is the older of the two by 134 years.
South Carolina vs Ireland Economy
GDP: South Carolina's GDP is $357.1 billion (2024) vs Ireland's $721.7 billion. Ireland's economic output is 2.0 times (102%) larger than South Carolina's.
GDP per capita: South Carolina: $65,173 per person vs Ireland: $131,593. Ireland's GDP per capita is 2.0 times (102%) higher than South Carolina's.
Average income: South Carolina: $60,776 vs Ireland: $87,360 average income per person (per capita personal income). Ireland's average income is 1.4 times (44%) higher than South Carolina's.
Official Websites
South Carolina official website · Ireland official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Carolina size comparisons · All Ireland 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.