Which is bigger: North Korea or Malawi?

North Korea is larger (120,538 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Malawi (118,484 km²).

Why do North Korea and Malawi 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 North Korea and Malawi are distorted compared to their true land area.

North Korea vs Malawi Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between North Korea and Malawi. 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.

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North Korea ↗

Surface Area120,538 km²

Population25,549,819

TypeCountry

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Malawi ↗

Surface Area118,484 km²

Population18,143,315

TypeCountry

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