The Difference Between The Mercator Projection And Real Geographic Sizes, Visualized

If you're thinking of a world map, you're probably thinking about the Mercator projection, which flattens the globe into a rectangular presentation — and in the process, severely distorts the size of areas closer to the poles. 

This is why we tend to think of places like Greenland as much larger than they actually are. But this comparison between countries' Mercator sizes and actual sizes will help get rid of some of those misconceptions:

Canada, Greenland and Russia in particular take big hits, while countries in Africa and South America — which straddle the equator — stay just about true to their Mercator versions. 

If nothing else, this comparison helps emphasize just how top-heavy the globe is, with the Northern Hemisphere holding two-thirds of the world's landmass. 

[Via Reddit]