Google maps and the maps on the wall at schools all over the world are somewhat misleading and in essence are totally wrong. They reflect a 2D representation of the world countries, but not according to their comparative size to each other.

In fact, when cartographers drew maps for the navigation of ships, several centuries ago, they could not account for the spherical shape of the world on a 2D landscape format and actual comparison size of countries was sacrificed in favour of a more Euro-centric or dare I say it a cartographic colonialism approach, known as the Mercator projection map, with which we are all educated.

The correct format for mapping the world with country comparative size to each other is the Peters projection map. However, because most people are happily unaware of this notion, they will look at a Mercator projection map and believe that the country Greenland is actually bigger than the continent of Africa.

The use of Mercator map undermines how truly large Africa is, and in doing so, this undermines its importance in the world. The USA is insignificant in size compared to Africa. Europe is insignificant in size compared to Africa.

So, unless you are planning to sail around the world in a small wooden ship at some point in your life, the Mercator map is redundant to you and you should use the Peters map.

Check out the nifty online website [link below] where you can move country locations in the world and just move Greenland towards the equator or move Antartica northwards and see what happens.

the true comparative size of countries