Mercator Projection Distorts Landmass Sizes, Making Greenland Appear Comparable to Africa

Africa is roughly 14 times larger than Greenland, yet the widely used Mercator projection makes northern landmasses like Greenland appear disproportionately large. This visual misrepresentation has long shaped public perception of global geography. Cartographers note that the projection, designed for navigation, sacrifices area accuracy for shape and direction.

As a result, regions near the equator appear smaller than their true size, while polar areas seem disproportionately large. Experts suggest alternative projections, such as the Gall-Peters, to convey area more faithfully.