Which U.S. State Is Comparable to England in Size?
The United States is a vast country with a large amount of land. Many states are as large as entire countries. The state of Alabama has roughly the same amount of land as England while the state of Oregon has approximately the size land area as the United Kingdom as a whole.
What’s the Difference Between England and the UK?
Many people use the terms “England” and “United Kingdom” or “UK” interchangeably, but there’s a difference. The UK is a nation made up of four territories: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
England is the largest of these territories of the UK, and it shares the island of Great Britain with Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland shares the island of Ireland with the Republic of Ireland.
How Does England Compare With Alabama?
England and Alabama are roughly the same size. England has an area of 50,337 square miles while Alabama is a little larger, with a land size of 50,645 square miles. Alabama’s population is much sparser than that of England. Alabama has 4,779,736 people as of the 2010 U.S. census while England’s population was 55,977,178 as of 2018.
England and Alabama share a few things in common. Residents of both areas primarily speak English as a first language and, coincidentally, both have a prominent city named Birmingham. Many of the first settlers of Alabama during the early history of the US hailed from the British Isles as well.
Alabama’s History
Native American tribes lived in Alabama prior to the arrival of European settlers, and for centuries, the state was largely agricultural. The state was initially part of Georgia and the Mississippi Territory before it became a territory of its own in 1817. Alabama became a state in 1819.
Today, Alabama has emerged as a more diverse state economically, with industry and technology sectors taking their place alongside agriculture. Alabama has a few concentrated urban areas and plenty of wide-open, rural space.
How Does Oregon Compare with the UK?
Oregon occupies a similar amount of land as the UK as a whole. While the UK has a land area of 94,525 square miles, Oregon occupies 95,988 square miles of land. The UK has a population of 66,435,550 as of 2018 while Oregon had 3,831,074 residents as of the 2010 census, so the UK has a much denser population.
Oregon and the UK have similar coastal climates, and the proximity to northern oceans affects the climate of both areas.
Oregon’s History
Early American explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark visited Oregon on their trek across North America in 1804. The Oregon Trail brought settlers to the area in the 1840s. Oregon was a territory of Great Britain until 1846, when the US acquired it as part of its rapid expansion during that decade.
Seven years later, the US divided the territory into the Oregon and Washington territories, and Oregon became a state in 1859. Today, residents and tourists flock to Oregon for its natural beauty, mountains, and coastline. The state has a diverse economy and population.
What States Correspond With Other Parts of the UK?
Other parts of the US compare somewhat in size with the rest of the territories in the UK. Wales takes up 8,018 square miles, and New Jersey is the closest state in size at 7,354 square miles. Scotland has a land size of 30,415 square miles while South Carolina comes closest at 30,060 square miles. Northern Ireland has 5,452 square miles, and Connecticut, America’s third-smallest state, is closest with a land size of 4,842 square miles.
Two Nations With a ‘Special Relationship’
The comparison in size between states in the US and parts of the UK is fun because the two nations enjoy a “special relationship.” Each country considers the other an extremely close ally, and both nations work together to achieve common goals.
