This Online Tool Shows You the True Size of Any County

Just like those solar system posters from elementary school that listed nine planets, it turns out the map of the world we grew up with is also misleading. Most maps we see are based on the Mercator projection, which has been criticized for misrepresenting the true scale of countries by making them larger the further they are from the equator. Alternative maps have been designed that attempt to present a more accurate picture, but these often appear stretched and distorted. For a super accurate look at true country sizes in comparison to their depiction on the Mercator projection, take a look at the True Size Map.

This online tool allows you look up any country and watch it shrink and grow as you toggle it across the world map. A few minutes of messing around could reveal that China, India, and the continental U.S. all fit comfortably inside Africa, or that Europe is just barely larger than Brazil.

It also includes the square mileage of each country, so you’ll have cold numbers to compare. As far as online time-sucks go, True Map Size is both fun and enlightening. Just playing with Greenland alone is entertaining enough to consume your afternoon. 

[h/t: Huffington Post]