Which is bigger: Bolivia or Mauritania?

Bolivia is larger (1,098,581 km²) — about 1.1 times the size of Mauritania (1,030,700 km²).

Why do Bolivia and Mauritania look different on the map than in reality?

The common Mercator projection enlarges areas the farther they lie from the equator, so the on-map size proportions of Bolivia and Mauritania are distorted compared to their true land area.

02Act II · 1:1 studioChange pair ↙

Bolivia×Mauritania

Put Bolivia and Mauritania on the same scale. Drag, separate, and see what the Mercator map hides.

Reverse order ⇄

True-size comparison

Same scale. Real difference.

Drag the outlines to overlap them, or place them side by side.

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Bolivia ↗

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Total surface area1,098,581 km²ed. 2024

Population12,581,8432025

Land area1,083,300 km²2023

TypeCountry

Mauritania ↗

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Total surface area1,030,700 km²ed. 2024

Population5,315,0652025

Land area1,030,700 km²2023

TypeCountry