Skip to content
Compare sizes

Ireland vs West Virginia: size comparison

Ireland is 12% bigger than West Virginia: 27,135 sq mi (70,280 km²) versus 24,230 sq mi (62,755 km²). In other words, West Virginia fits into Ireland 1.12 times. Here you can see both overlaid at their true size, with their population, density and end-to-end distance.

By the Mapsfera Team

Map of West Virginia on top of Ireland at true size

1.12× West Virginia fits into Ireland 1.12 times

  • Ireland 27,135 sq mi below, in its real place
  • West Virginia 24,230 sq mi on top, centered on Ireland
Move them in “True size map”

Drag both across a Mercator map and watch how they change with latitude.

Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on Ireland: it preserves areas, so both appear in their true proportion. West Virginia has been rotated across the globe, without changing its shape or size, until its center sits on the center of Ireland.

The figures

Figure Ireland West Virginia
Area 27,135 sq mi 70,280 km² · World Bank 24,230 sq mi 62,755 km² · US Census Bureau
Population 5.5 million World Bank, 2025 1.8 million Census, 2025
Density 202 per sq mi 78 per km² 73 per sq mi 28 per km²
End to end about 290 mi (470 km) about 280 mi (450 km)
Size rank 118th of 193 countries 41st of 50 states
Mercator enlarges it ×2.8 centered at 53° N ×1.6 centered at 39° N

Which is bigger, Ireland or West Virginia?

Here Ireland means the Republic of Ireland, without Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. West Virginia is one of the most mountainous US states, right in the Appalachians.

The difference is 2,905 sq mi (7,525 km²), roughly the size of the Canary Islands (2,875 sq mi).

Ireland is the 118th-largest country in the world, and West Virginia is the 41st-largest US state.

Population and density

Ireland has a population of 5.5 million (World Bank, 2025) and West Virginia 1.8 million (US Census Bureau, July 1, 2025 estimate).

That’s 202 per sq mi (78 per km²) in Ireland and 73 per sq mi (28 per km²) in West Virginia: Ireland has 2.77 times as many people per square mile as West Virginia.

Ireland has more land and more people too: 3.11 times as many as West Virginia.

Why they look different on a regular world map

On the Mercator projection, used by Google Maps and many world maps, everything gets bigger the farther it is from the equator. Ireland, centered at 53° N, comes out 2.8 times bigger than it really is overall; West Virginia, at 39° N, 1.6 times.

That’s why on those maps the gap looks bigger than it is: on paper Ireland takes up 1.90 times the space of West Virginia, but in reality it’s 1.12 times.

That doesn’t happen on the map on this page: it uses an equal-area projection centered on Ireland. To move them across a Mercator map yourself, open them in the True size map.

From end to end

The longest straight line between two points of Ireland is about 290 mi (470 km), running south to north; for West Virginia it’s about 280 mi (450 km), west to east.

End to end, they measure almost the same.

Frequently asked questions

Is Ireland bigger than West Virginia?

Yes. Ireland covers 27,135 sq mi (70,280 km²) and West Virginia 24,230 sq mi (62,755 km²): Ireland is 12% bigger.

How many times does West Virginia fit into Ireland?

1.12 times: 27,135 sq mi (70,280 km²) divided by 24,230 sq mi (62,755 km²). These are the same areas as in the True size map (World Bank and US Census Bureau).

Which has more people, Ireland or West Virginia?

Ireland: 5.5 million people versus 1.8 million (3.11 times as many). Per square mile, 202 per sq mi (78 per km²) in Ireland and 73 per sq mi (28 per km²) in West Virginia.

Why does Ireland look bigger on maps?

Because of the Mercator projection: Ireland is farther from the equator (centered at 53° N), and that map enlarges its area 2.8 times, versus 1.6 times for West Virginia. On an equal-area projection, like the map on this page, they appear in their true proportion.

Which US state is about the size of Ireland?

South Carolina (32,023 sq mi) and Maine (35,380 sq mi) are the states closest in area to Ireland, which covers 27,135 sq mi (70,280 km²).

More comparisons

All comparisons

Sources