Explained in plain English

What is 'true size'?

'True size' on a map refers to the accurate proportional area of landmasses relative to each other. The Mercator projection, while useful for navigation, significantly exaggerated the size of continents like Greenland and Russia compared to their actual area. The Equal Earth projection, adopted by the UN, aims to correct this by representing the landmasses with their correct relative sizes, giving a more accurate visual understanding of our world.