Mercator
Conformal, cylindrical. Meridians and parallels form a rectangular grid, and the spacing between parallels grows toward the poles, so polar regions are hugely enlarged.
North America · GRL · Country profile
Greenland: true size, area and map scale
Explore the country's geographic outline, see it in different projections and compare it with a familiar scale.
Simplified outline · Natural Earth2,166,086 km²
- Total surface area
- 2,166,086 km² 2024 edition
- Population
- 56,831 2025 data
- Population density
- 0.1 per km² Population ÷ land area
- Land area
- 410,450 km² 2023 data
- Capital
- Nuuk North America
- Country code
- GRL ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 / UN M49
Explore the shape
Country shape under different projections
The same country, different ways to show the Earth. Each outline opens a map with this country selected.
Globe (Orthographic)
Neither equal-area nor conformal, perspective azimuthal. It looks like a photograph of the globe from space: only one hemisphere is visible, and areas near the edge of the disk are squeezed hard.
Equal Earth
Equal-area, pseudocylindrical. Parallels are straight lines, the poles are flat lines, and the sides of the map are gently rounded, much like Robinson.
Outlines fit their tiles. They show changes in shape, not areas at a shared scale. The Mercator value estimates area inflation at the country's centre.
Understand the scale
How large is Greenland?
A familiar reference, a similar area and a different latitude. Both outlines in each preview share the same scale.
GreenlandOther country
Compare outlines on the map
A familiar reference
Greenland vs Poland
Area ratio (Greenland / Poland): about 6.9.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
Similar area
Greenland vs Mexico
Mexico: 1,964,375 km². Compare their areas.
Compare size 1:1Compare outlines on the map
A different latitude
Greenland vs Brazil
See how location affects the impression of size.
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The numbers in context
Greenland: true size, population, and map scale without illusions
Greenland covers 2,166,086 km², ranking 13 out of 200 by area in this dataset. This is continental-scale territory: borders, climate, and distances start to become a geography lesson of their own. Within North America, that places it 3 out of 25.
Greenland is about 6.9 times larger than Poland by area. This comparison is deliberately simple: Poland works as an easy reference point, and then it makes sense to move toward a similarly sized country. By area, the closest match is Saudi Arabia.
More about area, population and location
The population is approximately 56,831 people, with an average density of 0.1/km². Greenland ranks 189 out of 197 by population and 197 out of 197 by density. That is very sparse settlement: open space matters as much as the population count itself.
Within its continent, Greenland represents about 8.8% of the area and about 0.01% of the population covered by this dataset. Its continental population rank is 24 out of 25, so area alone does not tell the full story.
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. That is why Greenland is best read through several lenses: raw numbers, an equal-scale outline, a comparison with Poland, and a matchup with Saudi Arabia. Then the map stops being a picture and starts becoming a tool for discovery.
If you want to remember the scale quickly, compare Greenland with a country of similar area and a country of similar population. By population, Dominica is a useful next clue.
#13AreaArea rank among 200 countries and territories with a verified area.
#3ContinentGreenland covers about 8.8% of the area in North America.
#189PopulationAbout 56,831 people; continental rank 24 of 25.
0.1/km²DensityAverage people per square kilometer; density rank: #197 of 197.Saudi ArabiaClosest scaleThe most natural same-area outline comparison.The numeric values are used as comparative references for learning scale. Rankings include only countries and territories with a verified value in the selected sources.
Test your intuition
From map to challenge
Questions and sources
Frequently asked questions about size and location
What is the actual area of Greenland?
Greenland covers 2,166,086 km². In this dataset, that ranks 13 out of 200 by area, and 3 out of 25 within its continent. Greenland is about 6.9 times larger than Poland by area.
How many people live in Greenland, and how dense is it?
The population is approximately 56,831 people, with an average density of 0.1/km². Greenland ranks 189 out of 197 by population and 197 out of 197 by density. That is very sparse settlement: open space matters as much as the population count itself.
What should I compare Greenland with to understand its scale?
Two comparisons work especially well: Greenland vs Poland as a familiar reference point, and Greenland vs Saudi Arabia because their areas are very close. For population, Dominica is another useful comparison.
Do world maps show Greenland at the right scale?
North America strongly shows the latitude effect: northern territories look much larger on flat maps than their real area suggests. That is why a country's position on the map can mislead, while same-scale outline comparison usually gives a better intuition than a classic atlas.
Why can Greenland look different in different map projections?
Every projection moves a globe onto a flat surface and must trade something away: shape, area, direction, or distance. On this page, you can compare the impression created by Mercator, orthographic, and equal-area views.
How should I use this page to remember the size of Greenland?
Start with the numbers, open a 1vs1 comparison with a similar country, and then try the size-illusion quiz. That sequence combines facts, visuals, and play, making the scale easier to remember.
Take a closer look at the data
Each value keeps its own reference year or source edition. Boundaries are simplified and are not suitable for geodetic measurements.
Keep exploring
Choose another perspective
Geometry: Natural Earth / world-atlas, public domain. Outlines simplified and transformed into map projections. Sources, licences and data coverage.