The map above shows South Carolina and New Zealand side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Carolina vs New Zealand Geography
Land area: South Carolina has a land area of 30,064 square miles (77,866 km²), while New Zealand has 102,138 square miles (264,537 km²). New Zealand's land area is 3.4 times (240%) larger than South Carolina's.
Total area: South Carolina: 32,024 square miles (82,940 km²) vs New Zealand: 103,799 square miles (268,838 km²), including inland and coastal water. New Zealand's total area is 3.2 times (224%) larger than South Carolina's.
Length: South Carolina is 236 miles (380 km) long from north to south; New Zealand is 1,185 miles (1,908 km). New Zealand's north-south length is 5.0 times (402%) longer than South Carolina's.
Width: South Carolina spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; New Zealand spans 969 miles (1,559 km). New Zealand's east-west width is 3.5 times (247%) wider than South Carolina's.
Highest point: South Carolina's highest point is Sassafras Mountain at 3,497 feet (1,066 m); New Zealand's is Aoraki / Mount Cook at 12,218 feet (3,724 m). Aoraki / Mount Cook is 8,721 feet higher than Sassafras Mountain.
Lowest point: South Carolina's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; New Zealand's is Taieri Plains at -7 feet. New Zealand's lowest point is 7 feet lower.
South Carolina vs New Zealand Population and History
Population: South Carolina has a population of 5,478,831 (2024), while New Zealand has 5,357,300 (2026). South Carolina and New Zealand have about the same population.
Population density: South Carolina: 182.2 people per square mile vs New Zealand: 52.5. South Carolina's population density is 3.5 times (247%) higher than New Zealand's.
Largest metro area: South Carolina's largest metropolitan area is Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (2,883,370 people) vs New Zealand's Auckland Region (1,715,600). Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area's population is 1.7 times (68%) larger than Auckland Region's.
History: South Carolina: Admitted to the Union on May 23, 1788, as the 8th state. New Zealand: A dominion from September 26, 1907; fully independent by statute in 1947. In its current form, South Carolina is the older of the two by 119 years.
South Carolina vs New Zealand Economy
GDP: South Carolina's GDP is $357.1 billion (2024) vs New Zealand's $264.1 billion. South Carolina's economic output is 1.4 times (35%) larger than New Zealand's.
GDP per capita: South Carolina: $65,173 per person vs New Zealand: $49,591. South Carolina's GDP per capita is 1.3 times (31%) higher than New Zealand's.
Average income: South Carolina: $60,776 vs New Zealand: $46,630 average income per person (per capita personal income). South Carolina's average income is 1.3 times (30%) higher than New Zealand's.
Official Websites
South Carolina official website · New Zealand official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Carolina 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.