For teachers
Everything on Scale Shift, in one place
A quick reference for the classroom: why world maps get sizes wrong, real areas for every country, 4,000 years of borders and today's disputes. Free, no sign-up, no ads.
Why world maps get sizes wrong
Most web and wall maps use the Mercator projection (Gerardus Mercator, 1569). It keeps shapes and compass directions true, which made it ideal for sailors, but to do that it stretches everything more the farther it is from the equator.
Areas are inflated by 1 ÷ cos²(latitude). At 60° north, land is drawn 4 times too big; near the poles the stretch heads towards infinity, which is why Antarctica looks like a vast strip along the bottom.
| 0° | Ecuador, Singapore | 1.0× |
|---|---|---|
| 20° | Mexico City, Mumbai | 1.1× |
| 40° | Madrid, Beijing, New York | 1.7× |
| 50° | London, Kyiv, Vancouver | 2.4× |
| 60° | Oslo, Helsinki, Anchorage | 4.0× |
| 70° | Northern Norway, Alaska's North Slope | 8.5× |
| 80° | Svalbard, northern Greenland | 33× |
Real sizes: every country
True areas from our map outlines, and how much a normal web map inflates each one. Areas can differ from official figures by a few percent.
Most exaggerated by a normal map
| Country | Real area | Latitude | Normal map shows it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenland | 2,153,690 km² (831,544 sq mi) | 73°N | 16× too big |
| Norway | 382,021 km² (147,499 sq mi) | 66°N | 9.0× too big |
| Iceland | 100,833 km² (38,932 sq mi) | 65°N | 5.6× too big |
| Finland | 330,283 km² (127,523 sq mi) | 64°N | 5.5× too big |
| Canada | 9,735,676 km² (3,758,966 sq mi) | 61°N | 5.2× too big |
| Russia | 16,848,627 km² (6,505,292 sq mi) | 66°N | 4.9× too big |
| Sweden | 443,186 km² (171,115 sq mi) | 62°N | 4.9× too big |
| Estonia | 45,067 km² (17,400 sq mi) | 59°N | 3.7× too big |
| Latvia | 64,243 km² (24,804 sq mi) | 57°N | 3.3× too big |
| Denmark | 42,026 km² (16,226 sq mi) | 56°N | 3.2× too big |
| Lithuania | 64,345 km² (24,844 sq mi) | 55°N | 3.1× too big |
| United Kingdom | 238,112 km² (91,936 sq mi) | 54°N | 2.9× too big |
All countries, largest first (167)
| Country | Real area | Latitude | Normal map shows it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 16,848,627 km² (6,505,292 sq mi) | 66°N | 4.9× too big |
| Canada | 9,735,676 km² (3,758,966 sq mi) | 61°N | 5.2× too big |
| United States | 9,557,628 km² (3,690,221 sq mi) | 45°N | 2.3× too big |
| China | 9,371,648 km² (3,618,414 sq mi) | 37°N | 1.6× too big |
| Brazil | 8,497,871 km² (3,281,046 sq mi) | 11°S | 1.1× too big |
| Australia | 7,704,051 km² (2,974,551 sq mi) | 26°S | 1.3× too big |
| India | 3,155,616 km² (1,218,390 sq mi) | 23°N | 1.2× too big |
| Argentina | 2,782,541 km² (1,074,345 sq mi) | 35°S | 1.5× too big |
| Kazakhstan | 2,712,618 km² (1,047,348 sq mi) | 48°N | 2.3× too big |
| DR Congo | 2,335,120 km² (901,595 sq mi) | 3°S | 1.0× too big |
| Algeria | 2,320,567 km² (895,976 sq mi) | 28°N | 1.3× too big |
| Greenland | 2,153,690 km² (831,544 sq mi) | 73°N | 16× too big |
| Mexico | 1,961,434 km² (757,314 sq mi) | 24°N | 1.2× too big |
| Saudi Arabia | 1,925,110 km² (743,289 sq mi) | 24°N | 1.2× too big |
| Sudan | 1,865,337 km² (720,211 sq mi) | 16°N | 1.1× too big |
| Indonesia | 1,861,566 km² (718,755 sq mi) | 2°S | 1.0× too big |
| Iran | 1,623,299 km² (626,759 sq mi) | 33°N | 1.4× too big |
| Libya | 1,621,773 km² (626,170 sq mi) | 27°N | 1.3× too big |
| Mongolia | 1,560,167 km² (602,384 sq mi) | 47°N | 2.1× too big |
| Peru | 1,296,121 km² (500,435 sq mi) | 9°S | 1.0× too big |
| Chad | 1,275,378 km² (492,426 sq mi) | 15°N | 1.1× too big |
| Mali | 1,259,029 km² (486,114 sq mi) | 17°N | 1.1× too big |
| Angola | 1,250,151 km² (482,686 sq mi) | 12°S | 1.1× too big |
| South Africa | 1,221,163 km² (471,494 sq mi) | 29°S | 1.3× too big |
| Niger | 1,186,187 km² (457,989 sq mi) | 17°N | 1.1× too big |
| Colombia | 1,139,857 km² (440,101 sq mi) | 4°N | 1.0× too big |
| Ethiopia | 1,131,319 km² (436,805 sq mi) | 9°N | 1.0× too big |
| Bolivia | 1,089,738 km² (420,750 sq mi) | 17°S | 1.1× too big |
| Mauritania | 1,039,100 km² (401,199 sq mi) | 20°N | 1.1× too big |
| Egypt | 1,001,756 km² (386,780 sq mi) | 27°N | 1.3× too big |
| Tanzania | 945,891 km² (365,211 sq mi) | 6°S | 1.0× too big |
| Venezuela | 913,570 km² (352,731 sq mi) | 7°N | 1.0× too big |
| Nigeria | 911,033 km² (351,752 sq mi) | 10°N | 1.0× too big |
| Pakistan | 873,955 km² (337,436 sq mi) | 30°N | 1.3× too big |
| Namibia | 824,914 km² (318,501 sq mi) | 22°S | 1.2× too big |
| Mozambique | 790,609 km² (305,256 sq mi) | 17°S | 1.1× too big |
| Türkiye | 779,615 km² (301,011 sq mi) | 39°N | 1.7× too big |
| Zambia | 755,239 km² (291,599 sq mi) | 13°S | 1.1× too big |
| Chile | 737,571 km² (284,778 sq mi) | 36°S | 1.7× too big |
| Myanmar | 660,643 km² (255,076 sq mi) | 21°N | 1.2× too big |
| Afghanistan | 641,925 km² (247,849 sq mi) | 34°N | 1.5× too big |
| France | 634,579 km² (245,012 sq mi) | 43°N | 2.0× too big |
| South Sudan | 624,443 km² (241,099 sq mi) | 7°N | 1.0× too big |
| Central African Republic | 621,463 km² (239,948 sq mi) | 7°N | 1.0× too big |
| Kenya | 594,901 km² (229,693 sq mi) | 1°N | 1.0× too big |
| Madagascar | 593,905 km² (229,308 sq mi) | 19°S | 1.1× too big |
| Morocco | 582,696 km² (224,980 sq mi) | 30°N | 1.3× too big |
| Botswana | 580,414 km² (224,099 sq mi) | 22°S | 1.2× too big |
| Ukraine | 570,414 km² (220,238 sq mi) | 49°N | 2.3× too big |
| Thailand | 515,089 km² (198,877 sq mi) | 15°N | 1.1× too big |
| Spain | 505,303 km² (195,099 sq mi) | 40°N | 1.7× too big |
| Somalia | 474,070 km² (183,039 sq mi) | 5°N | 1.0× too big |
| Turkmenistan | 470,067 km² (181,494 sq mi) | 39°N | 1.7× too big |
| Cameroon | 466,432 km² (180,090 sq mi) | 6°N | 1.0× too big |
| Papua New Guinea | 461,499 km² (178,186 sq mi) | 6°S | 1.0× too big |
| Yemen | 453,808 km² (175,216 sq mi) | 16°N | 1.1× too big |
| Uzbekistan | 447,807 km² (172,899 sq mi) | 42°N | 1.8× too big |
| Sweden | 443,186 km² (171,115 sq mi) | 62°N | 4.9× too big |
| Iraq | 436,879 km² (168,680 sq mi) | 33°N | 1.4× too big |
| Paraguay | 401,219 km² (154,912 sq mi) | 23°S | 1.2× too big |
| Zimbabwe | 389,978 km² (150,571 sq mi) | 19°S | 1.1× too big |
| Norway | 382,021 km² (147,499 sq mi) | 66°N | 9.0× too big |
| Japan | 369,079 km² (142,502 sq mi) | 38°N | 1.6× too big |
| Germany | 355,703 km² (137,338 sq mi) | 51°N | 2.5× too big |
| Congo | 346,680 km² (133,854 sq mi) | 1°S | 1.0× too big |
| Finland | 330,283 km² (127,523 sq mi) | 64°N | 5.5× too big |
| Vietnam | 328,672 km² (126,901 sq mi) | 17°N | 1.1× too big |
| Malaysia | 327,922 km² (126,611 sq mi) | 4°N | 1.0× too big |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 322,288 km² (124,436 sq mi) | 8°N | 1.0× too big |
| Poland | 312,695 km² (120,732 sq mi) | 52°N | 2.7× too big |
| Oman | 311,945 km² (120,443 sq mi) | 21°N | 1.1× too big |
| Italy | 300,152 km² (115,889 sq mi) | 43°N | 1.9× too big |
| Philippines | 286,289 km² (110,537 sq mi) | 12°N | 1.0× too big |
| Burkina Faso | 274,094 km² (105,828 sq mi) | 12°N | 1.0× too big |
| New Zealand | 266,779 km² (103,004 sq mi) | 42°S | 1.8× too big |
| Gabon | 260,434 km² (100,554 sq mi) | 1°S | 1.0× too big |
| Ecuador | 254,548 km² (98,282 sq mi) | 1°S | 1.0× too big |
| Guinea | 244,967 km² (94,582 sq mi) | 10°N | 1.0× too big |
| Uganda | 242,126 km² (93,485 sq mi) | 1°N | 1.0× too big |
| Ghana | 239,420 km² (92,441 sq mi) | 8°N | 1.0× too big |
| United Kingdom | 238,112 km² (91,936 sq mi) | 54°N | 2.9× too big |
| Romania | 235,799 km² (91,043 sq mi) | 46°N | 2.1× too big |
| Laos | 228,682 km² (88,295 sq mi) | 19°N | 1.1× too big |
| Guyana | 211,239 km² (81,560 sq mi) | 5°N | 1.0× too big |
| Belarus | 206,632 km² (79,781 sq mi) | 54°N | 2.8× too big |
| Kyrgyzstan | 198,732 km² (76,731 sq mi) | 42°N | 1.8× too big |
| Senegal | 197,161 km² (76,124 sq mi) | 14°N | 1.1× too big |
| Syria | 185,594 km² (71,658 sq mi) | 35°N | 1.5× too big |
| Cambodia | 181,433 km² (70,052 sq mi) | 13°N | 1.1× too big |
| Uruguay | 178,042 km² (68,742 sq mi) | 33°S | 1.4× too big |
| Tunisia | 156,782 km² (60,534 sq mi) | 34°N | 1.5× too big |
| Nepal | 147,100 km² (56,796 sq mi) | 28°N | 1.3× too big |
| Suriname | 145,592 km² (56,213 sq mi) | 4°N | 1.0× too big |
| Tajikistan | 142,231 km² (54,916 sq mi) | 39°N | 1.6× too big |
| Bangladesh | 135,113 km² (52,167 sq mi) | 24°N | 1.2× too big |
| Nicaragua | 129,179 km² (49,876 sq mi) | 13°N | 1.1× too big |
| Greece | 127,601 km² (49,267 sq mi) | 39°N | 1.7× too big |
| Eritrea | 123,858 km² (47,822 sq mi) | 15°N | 1.1× too big |
| North Korea | 122,103 km² (47,144 sq mi) | 40°N | 1.7× too big |
| Malawi | 119,505 km² (46,141 sq mi) | 13°S | 1.1× too big |
| Benin | 116,323 km² (44,913 sq mi) | 10°N | 1.0× too big |
| Honduras | 113,250 km² (43,726 sq mi) | 15°N | 1.1× too big |
| Bulgaria | 112,380 km² (43,390 sq mi) | 43°N | 1.9× too big |
| Cuba | 108,759 km² (41,992 sq mi) | 22°N | 1.2× too big |
| Guatemala | 108,689 km² (41,965 sq mi) | 16°N | 1.1× too big |
| Iceland | 100,833 km² (38,932 sq mi) | 65°N | 5.6× too big |
| South Korea | 96,381 km² (37,213 sq mi) | 36°N | 1.5× too big |
| Liberia | 95,643 km² (36,928 sq mi) | 7°N | 1.0× too big |
| Hungary | 92,860 km² (35,853 sq mi) | 47°N | 2.2× too big |
| Portugal | 90,155 km² (34,809 sq mi) | 40°N | 1.7× too big |
| Jordan | 88,554 km² (34,191 sq mi) | 31°N | 1.4× too big |
| Azerbaijan | 86,634 km² (33,450 sq mi) | 40°N | 1.7× too big |
| Austria | 84,187 km² (32,505 sq mi) | 48°N | 2.2× too big |
| Czechia | 78,561 km² (30,333 sq mi) | 50°N | 2.4× too big |
| Serbia | 77,410 km² (29,888 sq mi) | 44°N | 1.9× too big |
| Panama | 73,804 km² (28,496 sq mi) | 9°N | 1.0× too big |
| Sierra Leone | 71,958 km² (27,783 sq mi) | 9°N | 1.0× too big |
| United Arab Emirates | 71,106 km² (27,454 sq mi) | 24°N | 1.2× too big |
| Georgia | 69,228 km² (26,729 sq mi) | 42°N | 1.8× too big |
| Ireland | 68,458 km² (26,432 sq mi) | 53°N | 2.8× too big |
| Sri Lanka | 65,849 km² (25,424 sq mi) | 8°N | 1.0× too big |
| Lithuania | 64,345 km² (24,844 sq mi) | 55°N | 3.1× too big |
| Latvia | 64,243 km² (24,804 sq mi) | 57°N | 3.3× too big |
| Togo | 57,196 km² (22,084 sq mi) | 9°N | 1.0× too big |
| Croatia | 53,868 km² (20,799 sq mi) | 45°N | 2.0× too big |
| Costa Rica | 51,782 km² (19,993 sq mi) | 10°N | 1.0× too big |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 51,765 km² (19,987 sq mi) | 44°N | 1.9× too big |
| Dominican Republic | 48,614 km² (18,770 sq mi) | 19°N | 1.1× too big |
| Slovakia | 48,178 km² (18,602 sq mi) | 49°N | 2.3× too big |
| Estonia | 45,067 km² (17,400 sq mi) | 59°N | 3.7× too big |
| Denmark | 42,026 km² (16,226 sq mi) | 56°N | 3.2× too big |
| Switzerland | 41,068 km² (15,856 sq mi) | 47°N | 2.1× too big |
| Bhutan | 39,778 km² (15,358 sq mi) | 27°N | 1.3× too big |
| Netherlands | 36,818 km² (14,216 sq mi) | 52°N | 2.7× too big |
| Moldova | 33,087 km² (12,775 sq mi) | 47°N | 2.2× too big |
| Guinea-Bissau | 31,414 km² (12,129 sq mi) | 12°N | 1.0× too big |
| Belgium | 30,841 km² (11,908 sq mi) | 51°N | 2.5× too big |
| Lesotho | 29,959 km² (11,567 sq mi) | 30°S | 1.3× too big |
| Armenia | 29,471 km² (11,379 sq mi) | 40°N | 1.7× too big |
| Albania | 28,196 km² (10,887 sq mi) | 41°N | 1.8× too big |
| Burundi | 27,226 km² (10,512 sq mi) | 3°S | 1.0× too big |
| Equatorial Guinea | 26,597 km² (10,269 sq mi) | 2°N | 1.0× too big |
| Haiti | 26,552 km² (10,252 sq mi) | 19°N | 1.1× too big |
| North Macedonia | 25,656 km² (9,906 sq mi) | 42°N | 1.8× too big |
| Rwanda | 25,245 km² (9,747 sq mi) | 2°S | 1.0× too big |
| Solomon Islands | 23,877 km² (9,219 sq mi) | 9°S | 1.0× too big |
| Belize | 22,640 km² (8,741 sq mi) | 17°N | 1.1× too big |
| Israel | 22,385 km² (8,643 sq mi) | 32°N | 1.4× too big |
| Djibouti | 21,446 km² (8,280 sq mi) | 12°N | 1.0× too big |
| Slovenia | 20,226 km² (7,809 sq mi) | 46°N | 2.1× too big |
| El Salvador | 20,070 km² (7,749 sq mi) | 14°N | 1.1× too big |
| New Caledonia | 18,307 km² (7,068 sq mi) | 21°S | 1.2× too big |
| Fiji | 17,600 km² (6,795 sq mi) | 17°S | 1.1× too big |
| Kuwait | 17,254 km² (6,662 sq mi) | 29°N | 1.3× too big |
| Eswatini | 16,941 km² (6,541 sq mi) | 27°S | 1.3× too big |
| Timor-Leste | 14,782 km² (5,707 sq mi) | 9°S | 1.0× too big |
| Montenegro | 13,585 km² (5,245 sq mi) | 43°N | 1.9× too big |
| Bahamas | 11,453 km² (4,422 sq mi) | 24°N | 1.2× too big |
| Jamaica | 11,142 km² (4,302 sq mi) | 18°N | 1.1× too big |
| Qatar | 11,032 km² (4,259 sq mi) | 25°N | 1.2× too big |
| Gambia | 10,381 km² (4,008 sq mi) | 13°N | 1.1× too big |
| Vanuatu | 9,997 km² (3,860 sq mi) | 16°S | 1.1× too big |
| Lebanon | 9,866 km² (3,809 sq mi) | 34°N | 1.5× too big |
| Puerto Rico | 8,693 km² (3,356 sq mi) | 18°N | 1.1× too big |
| Brunei | 5,568 km² (2,150 sq mi) | 5°N | 1.0× too big |
| Cyprus | 5,551 km² (2,143 sq mi) | 35°N | 1.5× too big |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 5,051 km² (1,950 sq mi) | 10°N | 1.0× too big |
Eras: world borders through time
Snapshots of world borders from 2000 BCE to today. Each page shows the map, the largest states and what changed since the snapshot before.
Recent border changes
For every change, the year control began and the year it was made official, if it ever was.
- 2023Azerbaijan retakes Nagorno-KarabakhOfficial 1991
- 2022Russia claims four more Ukrainian regionsNever made official
- 2022Canada and Denmark split Hans IslandOfficial 2022
- 2015India and Bangladesh swap 162 enclavesOfficial 1974
- 2014Russia seizes and annexes CrimeaNever made official
- 2006Montenegro becomes independentOfficial 2006
- 2005South Sudan becomes the world's newest countryOfficial 2011
- 1999Kosovo declares independenceNever made official
- 1999Macau returns to ChinaOfficial 1987
- 1997Hong Kong returns to ChinaOfficial 1984
Disputed borders at a glance
Places where who controls the land and who claims it don't match. Status can change quickly: check current news before citing.
| Place | Controlled by | Also claimed by | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimea | Russia | Ukraine | 2014 |
| Russian-occupied southern and eastern Ukraine | Russia (partially) | Ukraine | 2014 |
| Golan Heights | Israel | Syria | 1967 |
| West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza | Israel (with Palestinian self-rule in parts) | Palestine | 1967 |
| Kashmir | India, Pakistan and China (each controls part) | India, Pakistan, China | 1947 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | India | China | 1951 |
| Taiwan | Republic of China (Taiwan) | People's Republic of China | 1945 |
| Western Sahara | Morocco (about 3/4) and the Sahrawi Republic / Polisario (the east) | Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | 1975 |
| Northern Cyprus | Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (backed by Türkiye) | Cyprus | 1974 |
| Kosovo | Republic of Kosovo | Serbia | 1999 |
| Somaliland | Republic of Somaliland | Somalia | 1991 |
| Abkhazia and South Ossetia | Russian-backed separatist governments | Georgia | 1993 |
| Transnistria | Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic | Moldova | 1992 |
| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) | United Kingdom | Argentina | 1833 |
| Southern Kuril Islands | Russia | Japan | 1945 |
| Essequibo (Guayana Esequiba) | Guyana | Venezuela | 1899 |
| Halaib Triangle and Bir Tawil | Egypt (Halaib); nobody (Bir Tawil) | Egypt, Sudan | 1990 |
| Gibraltar | United Kingdom | Spain | 1704 |
| Ceuta and Melilla | Spain | Morocco | 1497 |
| Liancourt Rocks (Dokdo / Takeshima) | South Korea | Japan | 1954 |
| Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu Islands) | Japan | China, Taiwan | 1972 |
| Spratly Islands | Split: Vietnam, the Philippines, China, Malaysia and Taiwan each hold some features | China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei | 1988 |
| Antarctica | No state (Antarctic Treaty System) | Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, United Kingdom | 1959 |
Using it in class
On a projector
Open the map full screen. Drag any country or empire to another latitude and the class watches it grow or shrink to its real size.
Share a set-up
Arrange shapes on the map, then use Share: the link opens exactly that comparison on every student's device.
Step through history
Use the timeline under the map, or open an era page, to show how borders changed in a region.
Who ruled here?
Click any spot on land to see who controlled it in every era, with disputes shown first on today's map.
Quick warm-up
The daily challenge is five 'which is bigger?' questions, the same for everyone that day, and takes about two minutes. No sign-in needed to play.
Any device
Works in any modern browser on laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and phones. Nothing to install and no student accounts.
Sources and how to cite
Historical borders come from the historical-basemaps project (GPL-3.0); present-day borders from Natural Earth (public domain). Areas are calculated from those outlines.
Historical borders are approximate, especially before 1500: many states had no fixed frontier. Each era page says how precise its borders are.
Suggested citation
Scale Shift. "Real size of countries and empires." https://scale-shift.vercel.app. Accessed [date].