Maps That Show Us A New Perspective

Like a side-view mirror, sometimes on maps, things look bigger to us than they actually appear.
Think about it; a world map shows Greenland as this giant landmass the size of South America
when really it’s quite tiny, comparatively speaking.

Then there is the Mongolian Empire, a massive region conquering of over nine million square
miles. But what does that area look like on a map when compared to the rest of the world? Don’t
worry; these maps will shed light on the true scope of things and may even help you obtain a
more worldly perspective.

Greenland Looks Tiny Next To South America

If you’re like us, then when you look at a world map, the territory of Greenland seems like it
could overtake South America in terms of surface area. Well, we’re here to tell you that is not the
case, and this map should put their respective sizes into perspective.

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Let’s start with Greenland. The island has an area of 2,166,086 sq km, while the continent of
South America comes in at a whopping 17,840,000 sq km. That, folks, tells us that South
America is a solid 8.2 times larger than the northern territory.
Red Features A Total Population Greater Than The Gray
As you can clearly see by this map, Americans tend to favor the coastal states,
considering the red areas represent a greater population than that of the gray
area. With a vast majority of “red” being in southern California, it seems as
though people flock to the west coast for the lifestyle: the promise of year-round
summer.

lex52485/Reddit

Then, some favor the eastern seaboard, enjoying the lifestyles of New
Englanders and the tri-state area. What we can conclude from the map is that the
colder and more rural states aren’t on the “move-to” list for many of the 328.2
million Americans.
Things aren’t always bigger in Texas when the state is taken out of the
country and placed next to Africa.

Texas Doesn’t Look All That Big Next Compared To Africa

While Texas is the second-largest state in the United States by area, right behind
Alaska, it is nothing in comparison to the world’s second-largest continent, Africa.
Everything might be bigger in Texas, but when the state is dropped down on top
of Africa, it looks about as big as one of the countries– which is still impressive!

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To put it in a bit of perspective for those who enjoy numbers, Africa has an area
of 30,370,000 sq km, while Texas doesn’t even break one million sq km, coming
in at 676,587 sq km. This means Africa is 45 times larger than the state!
Light Pollution Throughout The Continental United States

If you’re an outdoor lover who enjoys star gazing at night, we recommend

venturing to middle and northwest America, where the light pollution is
substantially less than the coastal states east of the Mississippi River. Sadly,
according to a 2016 study, scientists estimate that around 80 percent of North
Americans can’t see the Milky Way.

there_is_no_try/Reddit

But, as geographer Tim Wallace has mentioned, a majority of the states with
random light output, such as North Dakota, are due to shale oil extractions and
huge commercial buildings, such as airports and power stations.
Air Traffic Control Zones Look Nothing Like The Country

Interestingly, the air traffic control in the United States isn’t broken up by state,
but rather by zones and sectors. Throughout the continental US, there are 21
zones, as illustrated on the above map. Each of these zones is centralized
around a major city, such as Houston, New York, and Washington D.C.

lucyeeliza/Reddit
But that’s not where air control ends. Within these 21 zones, there are sectors
and 50 miles in diameter of airspace. Within each given portion of airspace is
where all of the country’s airports are located, each with its own five-mile radius.
Not only can maps show us excellent size comparisons, but they can also
reveal a shocking amount about what happens in regions all over the
world. Keep viewing and you’ll likely be very surprised…

Land Use Throughout The United States

The United States has one of the largest landmasses at its disposal and a very
diverse one at that. With 3.8 million square miles to work with, it’s only natural
that the land making up the United States has various uses, depending on where
it’s located.

Al-Andalusia/Reddit

While much of the western states use their land for forests and timber, middle
America has great pastures for farm animals, such as cows, sheep, and horses.
But even tiny spaces go a long way, like the national parks and the tiny northern
splotch of land that produces maple syrup!
The Reach Of The Mongolian Empire In 1279

The Mongolian Empire was the largest bordering land empire in the history of the world.
Through the 13th and 14th centuries, the Empire stretched from Central and Eastern Europe,
down to the Sea of Japan, northward into part of the Arctic, westward towards the Carpathian
and Levant Mountains, into the mainland of Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the
Iranian Plateau.

CountZapolai/Reddit

Emerging from the alliance between several nomadic tribes, Genghis Khan took leadership and
ruthlessly took over a solid part of the world. Thankfully, after years of the Empire, a war over
succession eventually led to its downfall. But before that, the Empire was an astounding nine
million square miles.
New Zealand Is Very Small Compared To The United
States

Since the United States is the fourth-largest country in the entire world, it’s no
surprise that when New Zealand is put on top of it, the island looks like a tiny blip
in comparison. To put it in mathematical language, the US is estimated to be
around 9,833,517 sq km, while New Zealand is about 268,838 sq km.

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This makes the United States around 3,558 percent larger than the southwestern
Pacific country of New Zealand! Thankfully, New Zealand isn’t alone in its small
area, being similar in size to the United Kingdom.
This next map will make you wonder why a few countries haven’t adopted
the metric system.

Metric System Vs. Imperial System

One of the age-old arguments a majority of the world has with the United States
is why the country insists on staying with the imperial system of measurement.
Aside from Liberia and Myanmar, the rest of the world, as you can see by the
gray masses, use the metric system.

Wikimedia Commons

In America’s defense, they can actually blame the British on the unit of
measurement. Hundreds of years ago, when the British colonized America, they
brought with them the imperial system. Ever since, Americans have used that
system, deciding not to jump on the metric system-train, so to speak.
Middle America Has More Farmland Than Trees

America is home to eight percent of the world’s forests, having around 228 billion
trees in the country. And, as the map clearly illustrates, those forests are more
densely populated in the northwest as well as east of the Mississippi River.

DrWendigo/Reddit

Contrary to popular belief, the wood-per-acre average has significantly grown

since the 1950s, which is amazing since the European settlers uprooted a lot of
growth when they first arrived in America. Now more than ever, people realize
the importance of nature. In 2007, the then-mayor of New York, Michael
Bloomberg, made plans to plant one million trees In New York by 2017 — the
goal was met!
Abandoned Railroads Throughout The United States

Railways played a huge role in the construction of America, from the settlements
in the west to the Industrial Revolution in the east. It was 1827 when the first
railroad was constructed. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was the vision of John
Stevens and catered to both freight and passenger transport.

Suzy Sholar/Pinterest

As the map shows, a majority of the abandoned railways are located in the east,
slowly expanding out west. This pattern makes sense with the early settlements,
slow construction, the 1893 economic panic that halted many projects, and the
eventual invention of the automobile and the airplane that would become the
more popular modes of transportation.
Flamingos tend to flock to very specific parts of the world. Keep reading to
learn which!

Where Flamingos Flock In The Wild

While a majority of people will only ever see flamingos in zoos, there are some
places around the world where they live freely in the wild. As illustrated by the
above map, these wading birds tend to favor Africa, Europe, tiny parts of Asia,
the Caribbean, and the southern tip of America.

Wikimedia Commons

Fun fact about flamingos: these birds tend to stand on one leg, but no one really
knows why. It’s thought that they stand in such a way to retain body heat, as their
long, skinny legs spend most of the day wading around in cold water.
Further Proof That California Is Its Own Country

While Italy technically has a larger population than California, having a population
of 60.3 million compared to the state’s 39.5 million, the latter is obviously bigger
in terms of area. As you can see from the map, California easily fits over the
entirety of Italy, even crossing over a few borders into Swiss territory.

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To give a bit of perspective on the size of the country versus the area of the
state, let’s look at some numbers: Italy is 301,340 sq km, while California’s is a
solid 403,882 sq km, making the country 74.61 percent the size of the state.
The Population Of Middle America = Both Coasts

It’s no secret that a majority of people flock away from middle America in favor of
living on either the eastern and western seaboard to live. But it might come to a
surprise to see the population of both coasts in comparison to a vast majority of
the country’s middle states.

Cogo5646/Reddit

To break it down, the orange represents a population equivalent to that of the red
portion in the middle of the map. Pretty much, if you’re not a people person, we
recommend living somewhere in the red section of the map.
Eight Million Miles Of Highway In The United States
Formed back on November 11, 1926, the United States Federal Highways has
an expanded reach of 157,724 miles throughout the country. Each highway has a
designated number, something that is coordinated among each of the 50 states.

SkyHawk2112/Reddit
And while the roadways stretch throughout the continental U.S., their
maintenance is in the responsibility of state and local governments. If you’ve ever
been on a New Jersey highway, then you know tax money is going to something
other than fixing all of the highway potholes!
Australia Vs. The United States
When looking at a world map, it’s hard to determine which country is larger,
Australia or the United States. So, we’ve layered them in order to gain a better
perspective.

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The United States is around 9,833,517 sq km, while the land down under is
7,741,220 sq km. In mathematical terms, America is about 1.3 times as large as
Australia, or 27 percent. Considering the United States has a population of 328.2
million, it’s a good thing there is so much space!

Between Caribou, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Starbucks, which coffee chain do

you think is the most popular in the United States? Keep reading to find
out!
Majority Of The US Has A Smaller Population Than LA
County

If there is one thing to say Los Angeles County in southern California, it is packed
tighter than a tin of sardines. With a population of 10 million, according to the
2019 census, the single county of LA out-populates a vast majority of the United
States, as shown above.

SwiftOryx/Reddit

Granted, North Carolina and Georgia should join Ohio, Illinois, New York, Florida,
Texas, and Pennsylvania on this map. As of 2019, North Carolina just makes it
past LA County’s population with 10.49 million people, while Georgia’s population
comes in at 10.62 million.
Cuba Fits In The Hudson Bay

It’s amazing to see an entire country fit snugly inside a body of water, considering
how bays tend to look fairly small on the world map. Thankfully, we have this
“perspective map” to give us an idea of just how large the Hudson Bay is
compared to the island country of Cuba.

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Let’s start by saying, the bay is huge, comparatively speaking. The Hudson Bay’s
surface area is 1,230,000 sq km, while Cuba has an area of 110,860 sq km. With
that size difference, no wonder Cuba looks like nothing more than a sandbar on
this map.

The US If States Were Sized By Population Density

Wouldn’t it be interesting to open a textbook and see a map of the United States
looking all split-up like this? While normal images of the US have all of the
borders connected, this interesting take is based on what the map would look
like, if it were designed based on the population density per state.

StarboardCapsized/Reddit

As you can see, it doesn’t look like the states of California or Florida changed
much, if at all, while Alaska, the biggest state in the country, is shrunk down to
almost nothing! And can we talk about how big New Jersey is compared to its
usual small self?