True Size of Countries on a Globe

Explore and compare the true size of countries and US states on a 3D Earth. Because this is a globe, there’s no Mercator area inflation at high latitudes—so comparisons often feel more intuitive and fair.

Prefer a flat map view? See the 2D version: True Size of Countries Map.

Tip: Use the search box to add a country. Drag a country to compare with other places. Press "R" to rotate it.

How to use this globe

• Search for a country or US state and press Enter to add it.
• Drag the outline across the Earth to compare with other places at different latitudes.
• Rotate while dragging: press and hold “R”. On touch/small screens, hold the on‑screen “R” button while dragging to rotate.
• Remove the shape you’re currently dragging: press Delete or Backspace while dragging.
• Zoom and pan the globe to frame your comparison, and use fullscreen for focus.
• Share your exact view: copy the page URL; positions, rotations, and zoom are encoded.

Why a globe helps with true size comparisons

• No Mercator area inflation: high‑latitude regions don’t balloon in size.
• Natural context: comparisons follow great‑circle motion on Earth’s surface.
• Better intuition: aligning countries at similar latitudes reveals more faithful size relationships.

If you’re teaching or learning, use this globe alongside the 2D tool. The map is great for fast scanning; the globe reinforces spherical geometry and helps explain where projection errors come from.

Why outlines can rotate when dragging (holonomy)

On a flat 2D map, moving a shape west is just a shift along x, so it doesn’t rotate. On a globe, moving “west” follows a curved path (a rotation around Earth’s axis). Because of spherical geometry and holonomy, a direction that’s carried along the surface (like the outline’s “up”) changes relative to north. A classic demo is walking an arrow along a spherical triangle (equator → North Pole → equator): it ends up rotated even though you never spun it locally. That’s why the outline can look like it’s rotating as you drag it around the globe.

FAQ

Is the 3D globe more accurate than Mercator for area? Yes. The globe renders outlines on the sphere, avoiding Mercator’s high‑latitude area inflation. It’s well‑suited for fair size comparisons.

Why don’t outlines keep the same “north up” when moved? Because of holonomy on curved surfaces. As you move the center over the sphere, the local east‑north‑up frame changes, so the outline can appear to rotate.

Can I compare US states too? Yes. Search for a state by name. If both a country and a state share the name, you’ll see a “(US)” hint for the state.

What’s the difference vs the 2D tool? The 2D tool minimizes Mercator distortion by letting you reposition shapes, and it’s easy to embed. The globe eliminates Mercator area inflation entirely and makes spherical effects like holonomy visible.

Key takeaways

• The globe shows real sizes without Mercator’s high‑latitude area inflation.
• Drag and rotate outlines directly on Earth’s surface for intuitive comparisons.
• Use the URL to share the exact arrangement of shapes and camera view.