The map above shows South Dakota and Northwest Territories side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Dakota vs Northwest Territories Geography
Land area: South Dakota has a land area of 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²), while Northwest Territories has 456,792 square miles (1,183,085 km²). Northwest Territories' land area is 6.0 times (503%) larger than South Dakota's.
Total area: South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²) vs Northwest Territories: 519,734 square miles (1,346,106 km²), including inland and coastal water. Northwest Territories' total area is 6.7 times (574%) larger than South Dakota's.
Length: South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km) long from north to south; Northwest Territories is 1,310 miles (2,107 km). Northwest Territories' north-south length is 3.0 times (196%) longer than South Dakota's.
Width: South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km) east to west; Northwest Territories spans 990 miles (1,593 km). Northwest Territories' east-west width is 2.7 times (167%) wider than South Dakota's.
Highest point: South Dakota's highest point is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m); Northwest Territories's is Mount Nirvana at 9,098 feet (2,773 m). Mount Nirvana is 1,900 feet higher than Black Elk Peak.
Lowest point: South Dakota's lowest point is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet; Northwest Territories's is Arctic Ocean at 0 feet. Northwest Territories's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
South Dakota vs Northwest Territories Population and History
Population: South Dakota has a population of 924,669 (2024), while Northwest Territories has 45,257 (2024). South Dakota's population is 20.4 times larger than Northwest Territories'.
Population density: South Dakota: 12.2 people per square mile vs Northwest Territories: 0.1. South Dakota's population density is 122.0 times higher than Northwest Territories'.
Biggest city: South Dakota's biggest city is Sioux Falls with 209,289 people; Northwest Territories's is Yellowknife with 20,340. Sioux Falls' population is 10.3 times larger than Yellowknife's.
Largest metro area: South Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266 people) vs Northwest Territories's Yellowknife CMA (20,340). Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's population is 15.2 times larger than Yellowknife CMA's.
History: South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. Northwest Territories: Became a Canadian territory on July 15, 1870. In its current form, Northwest Territories is the older of the two by 19 years.
South Dakota vs Northwest Territories Economy
GDP: South Dakota's GDP is $76.8 billion (2024) vs Northwest Territories's $3.7 billion. South Dakota's economic output is 20.8 times larger than Northwest Territories'.
GDP per capita: South Dakota: $83,052 per person vs Northwest Territories: $82,646. South Dakota and Northwest Territories have about the same GDP per capita.
Official Websites
South Dakota official website · Northwest Territories official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Dakota size comparisons · All Northwest Territories 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.