Country Size ComparisonD3 · TopoJSON · SVG
Japan vs United States: True Size Comparison
Use the true size map to compare Japan and the United States, then drag each country to see how latitude affects apparent map scale.
Interactive Mercator map
Move the comparison set
Drag any coloured country north or south. The map reports the projection's apparent scale at the new latitude.
No countries selected yet.
Try moving Greenland toward DR Congo to compare the contrast.
One more perspective
Keep exploring the scale
Every toy changes one assumption. Try another and see what moves.
True Size Comparison
Compare Japan and United States at true scale
Use the true size map to compare Japan and the United States, then drag each country to see how latitude affects apparent map scale.
The United States is about 26 times the area of Japan. Moving countries across latitudes shows how Mercator distortion changes their displayed scale.
How the map helps
Move the selected countries away from their original latitude. The shapes stay on the same projection so their apparent scale changes in real time.
Why the result can be surprising
Traditional world maps exaggerate high-latitude countries. Moving both places to comparable latitudes makes the area relationship clearer.
FAQ
How large is Japan compared with the United States?
Japan is about 378 thousand square kilometers, while the United States is about 9.83 million square kilometers.
Can I drag Japan on the map?
Yes. Select Japan in the comparison set and drag it to another latitude to see how its apparent Mercator scale changes.
Mercator is useful for navigation, but it does not preserve area. The country shapes and fixed area values remain unchanged as you move them.