Which is bigger: Papua New Guinea or Sweden?

Papua New Guinea is larger (462,840 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Sweden (450,295 km²).

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

Papua New Guinea vs Sweden Size Comparison

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

Surface Area450,295 km²

Population10,175,214

TypeCountry

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