California is 1.05× the size of Zimbabwe
California (state of the United States) covers about 410,000 km² (158,000 mi²) and Zimbabwe (Africa) about 389,000 km² (150,000 mi²). Below, both outlines are drawn at one scale and centred on each other.
- 410,000km²California
- 389,000km²Zimbabwe
200 km
- California
- Zimbabwe
What fits
- Zimbabwe is 95% of the size of California.
- California is larger by 20,400 km² (7,880 mi²), which is 5.2% of the area of Zimbabwe.
- Measured in Belgiums: California is about 13.4, Zimbabwe about 12.7.
How they differ
- California also has the larger population: 39.5 million against 15.2 million, 2.60× as many people.
- Per square kilometre that is 96 in California against 39 in Zimbabwe: California is 2.48× as densely populated.
- Their centres are about 16,400 km apart.
- A standard web map misstates the comparison: California at 37°N is drawn about 1.6× too large and Zimbabwe at 19°S about 1.1×, so the map shows California as 1.48× the size of Zimbabwe instead of 1.05×.
- Together California and Zimbabwe cover 799,000 km², close to the size of Mozambique (788,000 km², 1.3% smaller).
- The gap between them, 20,400 km², is about the size of Slovenia (20,300 km²).
- At Zimbabwe's density, California would have 16.0 million people (it has 39.5 million). At California's density, Zimbabwe would have 37.6 million (it has 15.2 million).
- California's centre is 56.2° of latitude, about 6,250 km, farther north than Zimbabwe's.
- California is the 3rd largest of the 51 states and districts of the United States and covers 4.3% of its area; it is the 12th most densely populated of them.
- Zimbabwe ranks 62nd of 246 countries and territories by area.
- California lies about 56° of latitude (roughly 6,250 km) north of Zimbabwe, on the other side of the equator.
- Shared out evenly, each person in California would have about 10,360 m² and each person in Zimbabwe about 25,650 m².
- Laid side by side, California and Zimbabwe would cover 799,000 km², about the same size as Mozambique.
- Together they have 54.7 million people, about as many people as Myanmar.
- Counted as a country, California would rank 60th by area and 37th by population.
Side by side
| California | Zimbabwe | |
|---|---|---|
| Is a | StateUnited States | CountryAfrica |
| Area, measured | 410,000 km²158,000 mi² | 389,000 km²150,000 mi² |
| Official area | 424,000 km²Wikidata | 391,000 km²Wikidata |
| Rank by area | 3rd of 51in the United States | 61st of 239worldwide |
| Population | 39.5 millionWikidata, 2020 | 15.2 millionWikidata, 2022 |
| Rank by population | 1st of 51in the United States | 74th of 237worldwide |
| Density | 96 per km² | 39 per km² |
| Capital | Sacramento | Harare |
| Latitude range | 33°N to 42°N | 22°S to 16°S |
Population: Wikidata 2020 and Wikidata 2022. Official figures: Wikidata (CC0).
- Our measured 410,000 km² is 3.4% below Wikidata's official figure of 424,000 km². Official figures can include inland water or count land that an outline draws differently.
- Wikidata's official figure of 391,000 km² agrees with our measured area of 389,000 km², to within 2%.
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Similar in size to Zimbabwe
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Sources and method
- Outlines
- Natural Earth, 1:10m Admin 1 - States, Provinces, public domain for the region; Natural Earth, 1:10m Admin 0 - Countries, public domain
- Boundary
- De facto, as drawn by Natural Earth. A region is drawn whole, every island included; a country is its main territory.
- Area
- Measured on the WGS84 ellipsoid from the full-detail outlines, shown rounded.
- Drawing
- Each outline is projected with an equal-area projection centred on its own centroid, so areas stay true and the two can be laid over each other.
- Data built
- 2026-11-12