Which is bigger: Papua New Guinea or Uzbekistan?

Papua New Guinea is larger (462,840 km²) — about 1.0 times the size of Uzbekistan (448,969 km²).

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

Papua New Guinea vs Uzbekistan Size Comparison

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