There are times when things on maps look bigger than they really are. Can you believe that Greenland is actually much tinier than what the globe says? Let us not forget about Mongolia either, and a huge region spread out over nine million square miles. This only goes to show that maps do not always tell the truth. Many things happen in the cartographer’s mind when they work on these visual representations of the world. They are not always accurate, for one reason or another. Check out the following if you want a better understanding of how our planet works!
Greenland Is Small Compared To South America
If we look at a regular map, it is easy to assume that Greenland looks even bigger than South America’s entirety. This is not true at all! Let us compare their actual sizes. The island only has an area spanning 2,166,086 sq. km. On the other hand, South America has spread out across 17,840,000 sq. km. No matter what the map tells you, the South American continent is over 8.2 times bigger.
Greenland Is Small Compared To South America
The Red Ones Have A Higher Total Population Than The Gray
As you can see here, Americans prefer the coastal states. The red areas have a bigger population than the gray ones. Southern California is mostly in “red” since people like the lifestyle on the West coast. It feels like summer the entire year in this part of the country. Other people like the Eastern seaboard, but people prefer New England and the tri-state area. Clearly, colder rural states have fewer fans.
The Red Ones Have A Higher Total Population Than The Gray
Texas Does Not Look That Huge Compared To Africa
After Alaska, Texas is the biggest state in the US. However, it does not hold a candle to the size of Africa! They say that everything is bigger in the Lone Star State, but it is as big as any other African continent country. This is still fairly impressive as the area of Africa is 30,370,000 sq. km. Texas, for the sake of reference, is only 676,587 sq. km. Yep, the continent is 45 times bigger than the Southern state.
Texas Does Not Look That Huge Compared To Africa
Light Pollution In The Continental United States
If you want to gaze at the stars at night, you should go to the northwest and middle of America. There is less light pollution here than in the coastal states east of the Mississippi River. In 2016, scientists revealed that nearly 80 percent of North Americans could not see the Milky Way. Tim Wallace said that many states get random light output thanks to oil extractions and large commercial buildings.
Light Pollution In The Continental United States
Air Traffic Control Zones Do Not Resemble The Country
Did you know that the air traffic control system is not divided by the state? It is instead done through sectors and zones. There are 21 zones in the continental United States! They are all centralized around major cities like New York and Houston. On top of that, these are further split into sectors. All the country’s airports have their own portion of American airspace, each with a radius of five miles.
Air Traffic Control Zones Do Not Resemble The Country
Land Use In The United States
The United States has a huge landmass at its disposal: 3.8 million sq. mi. There are different uses for that much space, depending on the location. In the West, states are full of timber and forests. In middle America, the land is used for farm animals. It is not only the big chunks of land that matter. Of course, let us not forget about national parks in different parts of the country!
Land Use In The United States
The Extent Of The Mongolian Empire In 1279
Did you know that the biggest land empire in history is the Mongolian Empire? It even reached Central and Eastern Europe! It reached the north Arctic, the Sea of Japan, the Levant Mountains, the Indian subcontinent, the Iranian Plateau, and the Southeast Asia mainland. It was formed by nomadic tribes and led by Genghis Khan. It ended with the fall of the empire but spanned nine million sq. mi before that.
The Extent Of The Mongolian Empire In 1279
The United States Is Gigantic Compared To New Zealand
Fun fact: The United States is the fourth-biggest country on the planet. Compared to it, New Zealand is tiny. Let us compare their actual sizes. The United States is believed to be 9,833,517 sq. km. On the other hand, New Zealand has an area of 268,838 km. Yes, the United States is 3,558 percent bigger than the country in the southwestern Pacific. New Zealand, the United Kingdom are roughly the same size.
The United States Is Gigantic Compared To New Zealand
The Metric System And The Imperial System
The United States is one of three countries that insist on using the imperial system of measurement. The two others would be Myanmar and Liberia. Every other country in the world uses the metric system. Apparently, the British brought over the imperial system when they colonized America. Yes, this has not changed since all those centuries ago! We wonder if the United States will ever switch to the other side.
The Metric System And The Imperial System
There Is More Farmland Than Trees In Middle America
Did you know that the United States has eight percent of the forests in the world? It has 228 billion trees! The map shows us that the forests are densely populated east of the Mississippi River and northwest. The truth is that the wood-per-acre average has gone up since the ‘50s! This is incredible since European settlers cut down a lot of wood when they crossed the pond. In 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to plant a million trees in New York City. If you wanted to know, he met the goal!
There Is More Farmland Than Trees In Middle America
Abandoned Railroads Across The United States
We should never forget the importance of railways in the United States. It helped form the Western settlements and led to the Industrial Revolution. The first railroad was built in 1827. John Stevens came up with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad vision that catered to passenger and freight trains. Most of the abandoned ones are found in the east and slowly expand out west. The 1893 economic panic put a stop to a lot of projects. Not long after that, airplanes and cars became much more common too.
Abandoned Railroads Across The United States
Where To Find Flamingos In The Wild
Isn’t it need to think of places where flamingos live? This map shows us that the wading birds are found in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, southern America, and Asia. They like to stand on a single leg, although we do not know why they do so. The theory goes that this is a way to retain body heat. After all, they spend most of the day wading their skinny legs in cold water. We wonder if this is true!
Where To Find Flamingos In The Wild
California Is Just Like A Country Of Its Own
True, Italy has a bigger population than California. Even though the European country has a population of 60.3 million people, it only has 301,340 sq. km! California is less populated at 39.5 million, but it is bigger at 303, 882 sq. km. The country is only 74.61 percent of the Golden State in terms of size.
California Is Just Like A Country Of Its Own
The Population Of Middle America Is Equal To Both Coasts
In general, people seem to prefer the Eastern and Western seaboards. Even so, you will be shocked when you see how the populations in these places compare to that of middle America. The orange is the population equivalent of the red portion in the middle. Go to middle America if you do not like people!
The Population Of Middle America Is Equal To Both Coasts
Eight Million Miles Of The United States Federal Highways
The United States Federal Highways was formed on November 11, 1926. It has since expanded to a stretch of 157,724 miles across the country. Every highway is assigned a number. The roadways stretch through the continental US, but the local and state governments are responsible for the maintenance. If you ever find yourself on the highway in New Jersey, you should take it up with the local government!
Eight Million Miles Of The United States Federal Highways
Australia And The United States
It can be hard to figure out whether the United States or Australia is bigger when you look at the map. Check this out if you want to understand the two of them better. The United States has an area of 9,833,517 sq. km. On the other hand, the land down under has an area of 7,741,220 sq. km. The United States is around 1.3 times as big as Australia.
Australia And The United States
LA County Has A Bigger Population Than Most Of The US
If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles, you would know that it is densely populated. As of 2019, the county had a population of ten million! On its own, it already out-populates most of the US. Fair enough, Georgia and North Carolina should join New York, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. North Carolina barely made it since it has a population of 10.49 million. Georgia, meanwhile, had 10.62 million.
LA County Has A Bigger Population Than Most Of The US
Cuba Is Much Smaller Than The Hudson Bay
Isn’t it neat to see a whole country snug in a body of water? Bays often look small if you look at them from the world map. Luckily, the “perspective map” below gives us an idea of the Hudson Bay size, comparable to Cuba’s size! The bay has a surface area of 1,230,000 sq. km. On the other hand, Cuba spans 110,860 sq. km. This explains why the country looks just like a sandbar here.
Cuba Is Much Smaller Than The Hudson Bay
The US Based On The Population Density Of The States
It would be interesting to see the United States split up like this in a textbook. Most of the time, we see photos of the country with connecting borders. This is definitely a fascinating take on the map! That is what it would look like if it were based on the population density of each state. Florida and California did not change all that much, but Alaska has gone down to nearly nothing when it is the biggest state!
The US Based On The Population Density Of The States
China And The United States
We all know that China is the most populated country globally, with more than a billion residents. But did you know that it is also bigger than the United States when it comes to size? If you reshape China, it is nearly the same size. At the end of the day, the Chinese country is slightly bigger than the United States. It has 9,596,960 sq. km., while the US only has 9,147,593 sq. km.
China And The United States
Top Three Coffee Chains In The United States
You should not anger someone who has not had their coffee just yet. There are three top coffee chains in the United States. Caribou is only popular in Minnesota, but there are fewer Donkin’ Donuts stores after crossing the Mississippi River! Starbucks dominates the rest of the country, which is not a surprise.
Top Three Coffee Chains In The United States
What You Can See On Google Street View
In 2007, Google street view started its operations in various American cities. The technology has since spread to other parts of the globe! Did you know that the cameras are placed on different modes of transportation? The bulk of it comes from a Google car, although employees have also used tricycles, boats, and snowmobiles in the past! There are still places that do not appear on it, however.
What You Can See On Google Street View
The United States And India
India is home to more than a billion people, but it is the seventh-biggest surface area. The United States does not look that much larger, but it is actually thrice as big! The surface area of the Indian subcontinent is 3,287,263 sq. km. On the other hand, the United States has 9,147,593 sq. km.
The United States And India
The Only Countries With Less Than 100 Million People
As of 2018, the world population is at 7.594 billion. Can you believe that some countries do not exceed a population of a hundred million? As you can see in this photo, certain places have lower populations. We all know that parts of New Zealand and Australia are uninhabitable. In Asia and Africa, people leave their rural areas for the cities. There is also the matter of bad weather in Canada and Europe.
The Only Countries With Less Than 100 Million People
China And Russia
According to the world map, Russia is a lot bigger than China. However, this is not the case. Russia is still bigger with its span of 17,098,242 sq. km. Even so, China is not as small as you might think! At 17,098,242 sq. km, the truth is that it is only 44 percent smaller than its neighbor up north.
China And Russia
Antarctica Takes Over Most Of North America
Based on the map, Antarctica takes up a lot of the 24,490,000 sq. km. The surface area of North America! Despite this, the territory is not as big as you would think. The tundra is portrayed more accurately here. It has a population of 4,490 people and a surface area of 14,200,000 sq. km. This means that it is 75 percent bigger than the United States and 40 percent bigger than Canada’s.
Antarctica Takes Over Most Of North America
The Quiet And Loud Parts Of The United States
Check out the noise pollution in different parts of the United States. This shows where people tend to flock to. Noise spikes seem to be more common near big cities: New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami. The dark blue ones are the quieter parts of the country, like Maine and the Pacific Northwest.
The Quiet And Loud Parts Of The United States
Not A Lot Of Population Spikes Near The Canadian Border
In 2019, there were 328.2 million in the United States. Out of that number, 39,747,267 are in California, 29,087,070 are in Texas, 21,646,155 in Florida, and 19,491,339 in New York. The numbers give us a better understanding of the population spike map below. The spikes clearly go up in the aforementioned states since they have the highest ones in the nation. There are not a lot of spikes near Canada, however.
Not A Lot Of Population Spikes Near The Canadian Border
Montana Can Perfectly Fit Inside Mongolia
The western state of Montana is known for its beautiful mountains and vast lands. When it comes to its size, people usually think that it is bigger than it really is. It is nothing but a dot in a wide continent! Mongolia, however, is a lot bigger than it appears. This is a great way to think of them in a new light.
Montana Can Perfectly Fit Inside Mongolia
How To Pass Through All The Springfield Towns
Anyone who has been to the US knows that some towns share the same name. There are a lot of towns called Springfield in the country! A geological survey said that there are 33 of them across 25 states. Five of them are in is Wisconsin! This does not even include the townships just yet. How neat is that?
How To Pass Through All The Springfield Towns
Poland Will Fit Inside The Lone Star State
Did you know that you can put Poland inside Texas and still find a way to drive around it without entering the country? Everything is truly bigger in the Lone Star State! Who would have thought that you can fit an Eastern European country over there? The size of the United States is imposing.
Poland Will Fit Inside The Lone Star State
Many Countries Will Fit Inside The United States At Once
Even though it is not the biggest country by landmass, many countries would fit in the United States. A Redditor posted the map below and did a great job filling it with not much room to spare. While the United States has many lands to offer, much of the country is unpopulated right now.
Many Countries Will Fit Inside The United States At Once
A Comparison Of Canada, The United States, And Mexico
It is basic knowledge that maps are not drawn to scale. If you look at the globe, you will see the United States towering over its northern and southern neighbors. The truth is that this is not accurate a all. Canada is actually the second-biggest country in the world! Mexico is also much bigger than you think.
A Comparison Of Canada, The United States And Mexico
Every City With A Population Of More Than 100,000
Many cities would not cut if you ever plot out the world’s cities with over 100,000 people. This map shows coverage for this city size in Asia, where local populations have gone up recently. This does not include many suburban areas with cities popping up every couple of miles, to be fair.
Every City With A Population Of More Than 100,000
The Circle Shows The Majority Of The Global Population
It is still amazing to think that there are more than 7 billion people on Earth. More than half that lives in the highlighted portions of this world map. It is a pretty big area, but many people live in major cities that popped up quickly in recent years. The United States only has 5 percent of the world’s population!
The Circle Shows The Majority Of The Global Population
The Sport That Rules Them All
We are not shocked to hear that soccer is the most popular sport in many places globally. Cricket might surprise you, but it is an international sport full of popular athletes with millions of fans! There are lots of sports to choose from in the United States. Wrestling and baseball are pretty popular.
The Sport That Rules Them All
NASA Image Of All The Fires In The World
The Earth Observatory Team by NASA caught a satellite shot of the active fires on the globe. This was taken some time in July 2020. Scientists say that this problem will only get bigger unless we focus on climate change. Areas with dry conditions and high temperatures will suffer from this even more.
NASA Image Of All The Fires In The World
Which Side To Drive On
Did you know that most places in the world drive on the same side of the road? Left-side driving is less common than right-side driving! We are just glad that Americans got this part right. This has something to do with the fact that the country had been ahead of its time when it worked on developing mass-use automobiles.
Which Side To Drive On
Population Density Across The Globe In A Single Map
The majority of the global population lives in less than half of the available space on the planet. For the longest time, people congregate in natural resources, water supply, and job availability. On top of that, many areas worldwide simply do not have conditions conducive to human life.
Population Density Across The Globe In A Single Map
What The World Map Should Look Like
The Hobo-Dyer Equal Area Projection map depicts the world with the right landmass dimensions. This is very different from what we have grown used to! We will be the first to admit that we had no idea that we have been wrong for a long time. This definitely gives us a better understanding of the world.
What The World Map Should Look Like
These Countries Will All Fit Inside Australia
We know that Australia does not look all that big on most maps. However, it is a huge country that spans 7.7 million sq. km. You can fit a lot of countries inside its landmass! You can fit Sri Lanka, Denmark, Cambodia, Greece, South Africa, Taiwan, Albania, East Timor, Thailand, Japan, Romania, West Malaysia, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Portugal, Germany, and Ecuador in it.
These Countries Will All Fit Inside Australia
The Famous Mercator’s Projection
Every single one of us knows the Mercator’s Projection. This is the most commonly used one of them all! By now, you must know that it is a very inaccurate map. We will only give you one example. South America is actually almost totally to the east of the United States and North America!
The Famous Mercator’s Projection
Japan Is Not As Small As You Have In Mind
Let us take a look at more Mercator’s Projection inaccuracies. It shows that Japan is a small country that can fit in with other countries. The truth is that it is pretty big with an area of 145,914 sq. mi. Check this out. It shows us the Asian country besides the east coast of the United States. Do you get what we mean?
Japan Is Not As Small As You Have In Mind
Around Half Of Canadians Live Below This Red Line
Fun fact: over half of Canadians live in only two provinces: Quebec and Ontario. On top of that, over half of the population can be found south of the red line on this map! There are 37.59 million Canadians, so almost 20 million of them live in a tiny part of the country’s available land. How jarring is that?
Around Half Of Canadians Live Below This Red Line
The Mass Migration Routes Of Animals Across North America
In North America, animals will do everything to migrate between warm and cold temperatures. The caribou is amazing since it travels as many as 3,025 miles each year! The map shows the mass migration routes of mammals on the continent. We are not only talking about big animals either! The Monarch butterfly can go past 3,000 miles to reach its home in the winter.
The Mass Migration Routes Of Animals Across North America
The Topologist’s Map Shows Us Shared Borders
Wow, this map looks so different from what we know. This topologist’s map takes away our traditional views of the world and substitutes it with touchpoints for shared borders. South and North America are shown with touching borders through shared landmass. This shows how landmasses are connected, although it also shows us non-connected island ones at the same time!
The Topologist’s Map Shows Us Shared Borders
Rivers In The Contiguous United States
Have you ever really taken a look at the rivers that you cross when driving in the United States? There are actually a lot of rivers weaving throughout the continental United States. There are over 250,000 of them that go on for almost 3.5 million miles. The Missouri River is the longest one at 2,540 miles.
Rivers In The Contiguous United States
The Mississippi River Is Fed By 7,000 Rivers
However, the Mississippi river takes the crown in terms of volume and depth. The truth is that 7,000 rivers feed the river system! The map below shows the rivers that feed into it and the eventual endpoint of their journeys. At least you now know why it is such an incredible beast of a river.
The Mississippi River Is Fed By 7,000 Rivers
The World Split Into 7 Regions With A Billion People
This map shows how much area from these places you need to reach a billion people. Even though continents like South American, Australia, and North America take up many of the planet’s landmasses, they need to join forces to eclipse China’s population. How amazing is that?
The Mississippi River Is Fed By 7,000 Rivers
The Contiguous United States Overlaid On The Moon
Did you know that the contiguous United States has a landmass of 2,959,064.44 sq. mi. If we wanted to lay that down across the moon, you should still have enough space for other countries! The moon has 14.6 million sq. mi. If you ever wanted to take up all of that space, Asia is your best bet. After all, the biggest continent in the world has 17.21 million sq. mi.
The World Split Into 7 Regions With A Billion People
Who Every State Hates
With the exception of New Jersey who apparently hates all other states equally, here is a map showing every state’s least favorite state. Unless you live in Hawaii, where it appears that you hate no one, it seems like California can’t catch a break from anyone. It’s also not surprising that neighboring states often share a mutual dislike towards each other.
Who Every State Hates
An Eagle’s Flight Path
Next, we have a depiction of the flight path of an eagle from the Middle East to Central Asia and down through North Africa. This map is shown over the course of 20 years. The tracker was set up in Russia and followed the eagle all the way to Saudi Arabia, where it sadly died. However, it’s still amazing to think that any living creature could undertake such a journey in its lifetime! Don’t you think?
An Eagle’s Flight Path
Map of Mars
If you’re just like us and had enough of Earth (which, let’s face it, we all are), then this map is for you! This awesome map shows Mars’ surface if it were similarly covered in 71%water. Probably not something that you would have ever imagined, right? Indeed, that small island-like structure you see on the left side of the map actually resembles a massive volcano.
Map Of Mars
The US From Alaska’s Point of View
Ever thought while looking at a map of the USA, that Alaska is almost always an afterthought? Usually, it is shown as just a tiny speck on the map. So, Alaskan mapmakers evidently got annoyed by this and thus created their own map in which mainland America is the afterthought! This is hilarious and we love it!
The US From Alaska’s Point Of View
The Closest Country to Each Part of the US
Naturally, we all know that the sections of the USA closest to Canada and Mexico are pretty evident. But what so many people don’t realize is that some sections are closer to Kiribati, the Bahamas, Cuba, and Russia. This just goes to show that most do not know what surrounds America or the fact that the USA is truly massive.
The Closest Country To Each Part Of The US
Fires in the Amazon
This map is not just disturbing but also quite sad at the same time. This shows all the active fires in the Amazon rainforest, some of which are natural while others are sadly caused by humans. It is so disheartening to see how one of Earth’s natural wonders is continuously being destroyed. This image was taken from space and was captured by NASA.
Fires In The Amazon
Lithuanian Magnet Map
This map magnet is truly awesome! In order to help boost tourism, Lithuania came up with one of the most remarkable schemes. They developed a map of the country entirely made out of magnets – however, it’s not that simple, each magnet is only available in specific cities. Lithuania isn’t the most popular tourist destination, but after looking at this, doesn’t it make you want to jump on the next plane there?
Lithuanian Magnet Map
Places Johnny Cash Has Been in ‘I’ve Been Everywhere.’
For all you Jonny Cash fans, this one is definitely for you! The song “I’ve Been Everywhere” by Johnny Cash describes his claims of having traveled worldwide. And after looking at this map of the USA, he is certainly not lying. There is also a world map that shows all the places that the American singer has visited.
Places Johnny Cash Has Been In ‘I’ve Been Everywhere.’
Snow Cancellations
You have to agree that snow was either a blast or a big pain in the backside, obviously depending on where you grew up in the United States. Even if it heavily snowed during the night, you were almost guaranteed to be required to get to school on time in states with harsher winters. However, if you grew up in the south, even a light dusting was enough to keep you out of school for the entire day! This is for sure no fair at all!
Snow Cancellations
A Standard Map
We hope more than anything that we are all accustomed to seeing maps that look similar to this one and not just of the country that you live in. So, for those who are completely not familiar with this type of map, we are here to tell you that this is in fact a standard map. However, some may be drawn out the borders of each country or show some mountain ranges. But generally speaking, this is what the world looks like on a map.
A Standard Map
A European Missionary’s Map Of Africa, Circa 1908
This next map is very interesting, to say the least, and of course a little ancient too. Of course, the country’s borders are a lot different from how they are today. But, it is a reminder of Africa’s colonial history. Europeans claimed territory and divided the continent the way they wanted, without any consideration for the feelings of the local people. And thus, this was the result…
A European Missionary’s Map Of Africa, Circa 1908
Non-Military Aircraft Routes
Of course, this list is nothing short of fascinating. This world map shows the concentration of civil air traffic. At first, the concentration of air traffic in North America and Europe is truly mesmerizing. Another thing that is evident is the fact that there are specific traffic nodes. Not many people know but not all cities have direct flights to a lot of places across the world.
Non-Military Aircraft Routes
Languages And Dialects Of The Middle East & Central Asia
It truly is admirable to know that there are tons of different languages and dialects all over the world. This map specifically shows just how many languages are spoken in the Middle East. For centuries, this part of the world has been populated by so many different kinds of people. This is why a variety of languages can be found in this region.
Languages And Dialects Of The Middle East & Central Asia
The World’s Happiest People
It truly makes us smile to see that there are many places on Earth that are filled with happiness! This map shows us where in the world you can find the happiest people. The countries that scored the highest include, Australia, New Zealand, Canada as well as all the Scandanavian countries. This does not surprise us at all. In fact, it makes more sense as to why people are now choosing to migrate to these countries.
The World’s Happiest People
College Football Fandom
No questions asked college football is a huge phenomenon throughout the USA. College football is enjoyed by millions. In fact, across America, there are many different football favorites. This map shows which college football teams dominate certain areas. The influence of some teams spread over a large area. Others, like UCLA, can hardly win their own city.
College Football Fandom
Favorite Type Of Alcohol
We understand that this map is “very specific”, as it only represents 3 types of alcohol. However, it is still very interesting to see what the world enjoys. So how does your favorite type of alcohol compare to the rest of your country and the world?
Favorite Type Of Alcohol
North America’s Cuisine
Who doesn’t love food? This is probably one of the best maps we’ve featured on our list. Why? Well, it clearly shows all the different kinds of specialties that can be found across North America. So if you’re looking to explore some unique options that you may not have been aware of, take a closer look at this map to help you out. If this doesn’t get your tastebuds going, we don’t know what will.
North America’s Cuisine
The Wealthiest Nations
We all know that this is a vast difference between wealthy and poor countries in the world. Of course, it’s always nice to see which countries are amongst the wealthiest so we’ll give you a brief rundown. The top contenders are Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Iceland, and Norway. All of them boast a great tourism industry as well as a booming economy.
The Wealthiest Nations
America Is Bigger Than We Think
This map puts the size of the United States into perspective for many people who don’t actually understand the size of the country. Here we can get quite an accurate representation of which countries from around the world are the same size as certain US states. For instance, who would have guessed that Montana is about the size of Japan? Or Arizona is as large as the Philippines. It’s a little surprising to know that New Zealand is the size of Colorado, right?
America Is Bigger Than We Think
Flag Map
This map is actually one of our favorites, not only is it a lot more colorful than the others but it’s awesome to see which flags belong where. Of course, it’s not easy to know every country in the world and its flag, but this is a great way to slowly learn more about our beautiful world, right?
Flag Map