Which is bigger: Botswana or France?

Botswana is larger (581,730 km²) — about 1.1 times the size of France (551,500 km²).

Why do Botswana and France 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 Botswana and France are distorted compared to their true land area.

Botswana vs France Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between Botswana and France. Compare their overlaid silhouettes and learn how the Mercator projection distorts scale.