The map above shows South Dakota and Puerto Rico side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
South Dakota vs Puerto Rico Geography
Land area: South Dakota has a land area of 75,808 square miles (196,342 km²), while Puerto Rico has 3,424 square miles (8,868 km²). South Dakota's land area is 22.1 times larger than Puerto Rico's.
Total area: South Dakota: 77,116 square miles (199,729 km²) vs Puerto Rico: 3,515 square miles (9,104 km²), including inland and coastal water. South Dakota's total area is 21.9 times larger than Puerto Rico's.
Length: South Dakota is 443 miles (712 km) long from north to south; Puerto Rico is 67 miles (107 km). South Dakota's north-south length is 6.6 times (561%) longer than Puerto Rico's.
Width: South Dakota spans 371 miles (597 km) east to west; Puerto Rico spans 174 miles (279 km). South Dakota's east-west width is 2.1 times (113%) wider than Puerto Rico's.
Highest point: South Dakota's highest point is Black Elk Peak at 7,198 feet (2,194 m); Puerto Rico's is Cerro de Punta at 4,390 feet (1,338 m). Black Elk Peak is 2,808 feet higher than Cerro de Punta.
Lowest point: South Dakota's lowest point is Big Stone Lake at 966 feet; Puerto Rico's is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet. Puerto Rico's lowest point is 966 feet lower.
South Dakota vs Puerto Rico Population and History
Population: South Dakota has a population of 924,669 (2024), while Puerto Rico has 3,285,874 (2020). Puerto Rico's population is 3.6 times (255%) larger than South Dakota's.
Population density: South Dakota: 12.2 people per square mile vs Puerto Rico: 959.7. Puerto Rico's population density is 78.7 times higher than South Dakota's.
Biggest city: South Dakota's biggest city is Sioux Falls with 209,289 people; Puerto Rico's is San Juan with 342,259. San Juan's population is 1.6 times (64%) larger than Sioux Falls'.
Largest metro area: South Dakota's largest metropolitan area is Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area (308,266 people) vs Puerto Rico's San Juan metro area (2,233,177). San Juan metro area's population is 7.2 times (624%) larger than Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area's.
History: South Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 40th state. Puerto Rico: A US territory since 1898; a commonwealth since 1952. In its current form, South Dakota is the older of the two by 9 years.
South Dakota vs Puerto Rico Economy
GDP: South Dakota's GDP is $76.8 billion (2024) vs Puerto Rico's $129.0 billion. Puerto Rico's economic output is 1.7 times (68%) larger than South Dakota's.
GDP per capita: South Dakota: $83,052 per person vs Puerto Rico: $40,650. South Dakota's GDP per capita is 2.0 times (104%) higher than Puerto Rico's.
Official Websites
South Dakota official website · Puerto Rico official website
More Size Comparisons
All South Dakota size comparisons · All Puerto Rico 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.