Nova Scotia Area: 55,284 Square Kilometers
TOTAL AREA BREAKDOWN:
• Total Area: 55,284 km² (21,345 sq mi)
• Land Area: 52,942 km² (20,441 sq mi)
• Water Area: 2,342 km² (904 sq mi)
• Water Percentage: 4.2% of total area
• Coastline Length: 13,300 km
Geographic Dimensions
MAXIMUM DIMENSIONS:
• Length (East-West): 565 km (351 miles)
• Width (North-South): 170 km (106 miles)
• Narrowest Point: 15 km (Chignecto Isthmus)
• Highest Point: White Hill (532m above sea level)
• Lowest Point: Sea level (Atlantic Ocean)
Regional Area Distribution
CAPE BRETON ISLAND: 10,311 km² (18.7% of total)
MAINLAND NOVA SCOTIA: 44,973 km² (81.3% of total)
MAJOR ISLANDS (3,800+): Combined 1,500+ km²
LAKES AND RIVERS: 2,342 km² water coverage
COUNTY AREAS (LARGEST):
• Halifax Regional Municipality: 5,490 km²
• Yarmouth County: 2,402 km²
• Inverness County: 4,079 km²
• Cape Breton Regional Municipality: 2,470 km²
• Queens County: 2,393 km²
Size Comparisons
CANADIAN PROVINCES/TERRITORIES:
• Nova Scotia: 55,284 km² (7th largest province)
• New Brunswick: 72,908 km² (25% larger)
• Prince Edward Island: 5,660 km² (90% smaller)
• Newfoundland: 405,212 km² (633% larger)
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS:
• Similar to Croatia: 56,594 km²
• Similar to West Virginia: 62,756 km²
• Smaller than Ireland: 84,421 km²
• Larger than Switzerland: 41,285 km²
• Larger than Denmark: 43,094 km²
Land Use Distribution
FOREST COVERAGE: 76% (42,000+ km²)
AGRICULTURAL LAND: 8% (4,400+ km²)
URBAN/BUILT AREAS: 3% (1,650+ km²)
WETLANDS: 5% (2,750+ km²)
OTHER LAND USES: 8% (4,400+ km²)
Population Density
DENSITY STATISTICS:
• Overall Density: 17.6 people per km²
• Halifax Metro Density: 73.2 per km²
• Rural Density: 8.3 per km²
• Most Dense: Halifax Peninsula (2,300+ per km²)
• Least Dense: Eastern Shore counties (2-5 per km²)
Geographic Regions
ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN: Eastern and southern shores
NOVA SCOTIA HIGHLANDS: Central upland region
ANNAPOLIS VALLEY: Agricultural valley region
BAY OF FUNDY SHORE: Northern coastal area
NORTHUMBERLAND STRAIT: Northern mainland shore
CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS: Northern Cape Breton mountains
Water Bodies
MAJOR LAKES:
• Bras d'Or Lake: 1,099 km² (Cape Breton)
• Lake Rossignol: 219 km² (largest freshwater)
• Shubenacadie Grand Lake: 54 km²
• Kejimkujik Lake: 34 km²
• 3,000+ smaller lakes and ponds
MAJOR RIVERS:
• Shubenacadie River: 72 km
• Saint John River: 55 km (NS portion)
• Annapolis River: 120 km
• Stewiacke River: 150 km