Greenland: old map vs new map

Both maps below show Greenland highlighted. The old Mercator map (1569) inflates Greenland about 11.8× at 73°, and the new Equal Earth map shows it at its true 2,166,086 km². Pan or zoom either map and the other follows, so the difference is visible at every scale.

That 11.8× inflation is why Greenland dominated old schoolbook maps and maps of the world's great powers. Hover Greenland on either map to highlight it on both at once, then compare it with Africa.

Greenland: key figures

	True area	On the old Mercator map	Distortion vs truth
Greenland	2,166,086 km²	25,576,494 km²	11.8×
Greenland	2,166,086 km²	25,576,494 km²	11.8×
Africa	30,370,000 km²	n/a	n/a

Old maps drew Greenland at about 25,576,494 km². The truth is 2,166,086 km², a difference of 1,081% that school atlases carried for centuries.

Greenland vs Africa: old map vs new map →North America on the old map vs the new map →Greenland country page: true area, rank and comparisons →The old world map vs the new world map →