At true size, Russia is about 2× the size of Oceania. On the old 1569 Mercator map the same two appear about 11.9× apart — the old map exaggerates their difference by a factor of 6.1×.
It is a latitude illusion: Russia sits near 66°, where Mercator multiplies area by about 6.1×, while Oceania lies near 10°, inflated only about 1×. Equal Earth removes that latitude tax, and the pair settles at its honest 2×.