Projection map: compare country and state sizes

How to read the projection map

This map lets you select countries, all US states, and England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Switch projections and drag their outlines around the world. A moved country keeps its true area and shape on the globe, so any change in its size on the map shows only the distortion of the chosen projection.

Why do countries near the poles look bigger on Mercator?

On the Mercator map, the area scale grows with distance from the equator as 1/cos² of the latitude. The table shows how many times Mercator enlarges area at selected latitudes.

That is why Greenland looks similar in size to Africa on a Mercator map, although Africa is about 14 times larger. Drag Greenland to the equator to see its true proportions.

Area enlargement on the Mercator map
Latitude	Area enlargement
0° (equator)	1.0×
30°	1.3×
45°	2.0×
60°	4.0×
70°	8.5×
80°	33.2×

The values describe the area scale at a single point. A country spanning many latitudes is enlarged unevenly.

How to use the map

Choose a projection in the tools panel and compare the same world in different projections.
Add a country or US state from the list and drag its outline closer to the equator or a pole. On Mercator it grows towards the poles, while on an equal-area map it keeps its size.
Turn on Tissot's indicatrices or the area distortion map to see how the projection changes area and shape everywhere.
To compare two areas side by side, use the 1:1 comparison tool, which overlays both outlines at a shared scale in an equal-area projection.

Equal-area projections

These projections preserve area proportions everywhere on the map, so a moved country neither grows nor shrinks, and Tissot's indicatrices all have the same area. Only shapes are distorted. You will find these maps below.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add US states or England, Scotland and Wales to the map?

Yes. Search for a name and drag the outline just like a country. The list has all 50 states and Washington, DC, plus England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For states the site uses land and inland water from the Census Bureau (2010), for example Texas: 691,133 km²; Alaska: 1,527,950 km²; Michigan: 151,617 km². Coastal water and the Great Lakes are left out, as on the outline. UK nations use ONS figures (2024). The data methodology page lists every figure.

Which map shows the true size of countries?

Area proportions are preserved by equal-area projections, for example: Gall-Peters projection, Mollweide projection, Equal Earth projection. Shapes on them are distorted, however, especially near the edges of the map.

Why do many web maps use Mercator?

Web Mercator preserves local angles, so streets and junctions keep their correct shape at every zoom level. The price is a strong enlargement of areas far from the equator.