Discover why your world map has been lying to you and how we reveal the truth
The Mercator projection, used by most online maps including Google Maps, was created by Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It was designed for one specific purpose: navigation at sea.
While the Mercator projection brilliantly preserves angles and directions (making it perfect for sailing), it comes with a massive trade-off: it dramatically distorts the size of landmasses, especially as you move away from the equator.
The Result?
The Mercator projection stretches the Earth like pulling taffy. The distortion increases exponentially as you move toward the poles. Here's the shocking math:
Type any country name in the search box. Our intelligent search finds countries, continents, and even U.S. states. Click to add them to the map at their true geographic location.
Click and drag countries anywhere on the map. Watch them dynamically resize based on latitude. The further from the equator, the more dramatic the size change!
View actual land areas in km² and mi². See population data, calculate distortion percentages, and share your discoveries with others.
Map projections shape our worldview. When we see Greenland as large as Africa, or Europe as comparable to South America, it affects our understanding of global geography, politics, and economics. Accurate size perception helps us better understand our planet.
The Mercator projection tends to exaggerate the size of developed nations in the Northern Hemisphere while minimizing regions near the equator. Understanding true sizes helps combat geographic bias and promotes a more accurate global perspective.
From understanding climate patterns to appreciating biodiversity, from planning travel to analyzing global trade, accurate geographic knowledge leads to better informed decisions in both personal and professional contexts.
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