About ResizeEarth
ResizeEarth is an interactive web application that helps people understand the true relative sizes of countries by comparing different map projections. Our mission is to correct common misconceptions about geography caused by traditional map distortions.
The Problem We Solve
Most people's understanding of world geography is shaped by the Mercator projection, which severely distorts the sizes of countries—especially those near the poles. This creates widespread misconceptions about the relative sizes of different regions.
Common Geographic Misconceptions:
- • Greenland appears as large as Africa (Africa is actually 14 times larger!)
- • Alaska looks similar in size to Brazil (Brazil is 5 times larger)
- • Scandinavian countries appear larger than India (India is 3 times bigger)
- • Russia appears disproportionately massive compared to other continents
Our Solution
ResizeEarth provides an interactive way to explore these distortions by allowing users to:
🗺️ Compare Projections
Switch between Web Mercator (traditional) and Equal Earth (area-accurate) projections to see how different methods affect size perception.
🎯 Interactive Dragging
Drag countries around the map to compare their sizes directly, with real-time distortion calculations showing how location affects apparent size.
📊 Live Data
View accurate area, population, and demographic data from Natural Earth datasets to understand countries beyond just their geographic size.
📚 Educational Content
Learn about map projections, cartography principles, and geographic concepts through comprehensive guides and interactive examples.
Who This Is For
🎓 Educators
- • Geography teachers
- • Social studies instructors
- • Cartography professors
- • Curriculum developers
👨🎓 Students
- • High school students
- • University students
- • Adult learners
- • Homeschool families
🌍 General Public
- • Geography enthusiasts
- • Travel planners
- • Curious minds
- • Social media sharers
Key Features
Interactive Country Selection
Search through 182+ countries with multi-language support and fuzzy matching.
Drag-and-Drop Comparison
Move countries anywhere on the map to compare sizes directly at different latitudes.
Dual Projection System
Switch between Web Mercator and Equal Earth projections to understand distortion effects.
Real-Time Distortion Metrics
See live calculations of how much each country is distorted at its current position.
Comprehensive Data Integration
Access accurate area, population, and demographic data from Natural Earth datasets.
Geographic Reference System
Reference lines for equator, tropics, and polar circles help understand global positioning.
Technical Architecture
Frontend Technologies
- • Next.js 15 with App Router and TypeScript
- • MapLibre GL JS for interactive mapping
- • d3-geo for projection calculations
- • Zustand for state management
- • Tailwind CSS for responsive design
Data Sources
- • Natural Earth 50m resolution country boundaries
- • OpenStreetMap base map tiles
- • Fuse.js for fuzzy search functionality
- • Real-time calculations for distortion metrics
- • Multi-language support for country names
Educational Impact
Our tool has been designed with education in mind, helping users:
- Correct misconceptions about world geography shaped by distorted maps
- Understand cartography principles and the challenges of map projection
- Develop spatial awareness of global relationships and scales
- Appreciate diversity in country sizes, populations, and densities
- Think critically about information representation and visual bias
📚 Educational Resources
Popular Comparisons:
Open Source & Community
ResizeEarth is built with open-source technologies and relies on publicly available datasets. We believe in transparent, accessible education and welcome contributions from the community.