The map above shows South Dakota and Ireland side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Dakota vs Ireland Geography
Land area: South Dakota has a land area of 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²), while Ireland has 26,596 square miles (68,883 km²). South Dakota's land area is 2.9 times (185%) larger than Ireland's.
Total area: South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²) vs Ireland: 27,133 square miles (70,273 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 2.8 times (184%) larger than Ireland's.
Length: South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km) long from north to south; Ireland is 287 miles (462 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 1.5 times (54%) longer than Ireland's.
Width: South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km) east to west; Ireland spans 191 miles (308 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 1.9 times (94%) wider than Ireland's.
Highest point: South Dakota's highest point is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m); Ireland's is Carrauntoohil at 3,406 feet (1,038 m). Black Elk Peak is 3,792 feet higher than Carrauntoohil.
Lowest point: South Dakota's lowest point is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet; Ireland's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Ireland's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
South Dakota vs Ireland Population and History
Population: South Dakota has a population of 924,669 (2024), while Ireland has 5,525,600 (2026). Ireland's population is 6.0 times (498%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: South Dakota: 12.2 people per square mile vs Ireland: 207.8. Ireland's population density is 17.0 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: South Dakota's biggest city is Sioux Falls with 209,289 people; Ireland's is Dublin with 592,713. Dublin's population is 2.8 times (183%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: South Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266 people) vs Ireland's Greater Dublin Area (2,082,605). Greater Dublin Area's population is 6.8 times (576%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. Ireland: Independent since December 6, 1922, as the Irish Free State; a republic since 1949. In its current form, South Dakota is the older of the two by 33 years.
South Dakota vs Ireland Economy
GDP: South Dakota's GDP is $76.8 billion (2024) vs Ireland's $721.7 billion. Ireland's economic output is 9.4 times (840%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: South Dakota: $83,052 per person vs Ireland: $131,593. Ireland's GDP per capita is 1.6 times (58%) higher than South Dakota's.
Average income: South Dakota: $75,699 vs Ireland: $87,360 average income per person (per capita personal income). Ireland's average income is 1.2 times (15%) higher than South Dakota's.
Official Websites
South Dakota official website · Ireland official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Dakota 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.