18 True Size Maps

Maps are inherently misleading. The world is spherical, so any 2-D representation is a distortion. The Mercator projection is a prime example, making Greenland appear similar in size to Africa, when in fact it's 14.5 times smaller. For a more accurate view, try James Talmage and Damon Maneice's The True Size Of app. By dragging country and continent outlines across the Mercator map, you can see the actual size of places like Florida, Sweden, and Norway. Canada's size is also revealed, without the exaggeration. Perhaps most surprising is Africa's true size - it can contain both the United States and Australia, contrary to the Mercator projection. The slideshow below highlights surprising examples from the app.