Which is bigger: Cameroon or Papua New Guinea?

Cameroon is larger (475,442 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Papua New Guinea (462,840 km²).

Why do Cameroon and Papua New Guinea 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 Cameroon and Papua New Guinea are distorted compared to their true land area.

Cameroon vs Papua New Guinea Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between Cameroon and Papua New Guinea. Compare their overlaid silhouettes and learn how the Mercator projection distorts scale.

Direct Silhouette Overlay (same scale)

Comparison of shapes at the exact same, real geographic scale. Click or tap and drag either silhouette to adjust positioning manually.

Loading comparison...

Cameroon ↗

Surface Area475,442 km²

Population25,216,237

TypeCountry

Loading contour...

Papua New Guinea ↗

Surface Area462,840 km²

Population8,606,316

TypeCountry

Loading contour...