Which is bigger: Papua New Guinea or Poland?

Papua New Guinea is larger (462,840 km²) — about 1.5 times the size of Poland (312,696 km²).

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

Papua New Guinea vs Poland Size Comparison

Discover the true size difference between Papua New Guinea and Poland. 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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Papua New Guinea ↗

Surface Area462,840 km²

Population8,606,316

TypeCountry

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Poland ↗

Surface Area312,696 km²

Population37,974,750

TypeCountry

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