this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2026
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[–] callyral@pawb.social 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Screenshot of a map of the continental United States on top of a map of Europe, accounting for the map projection. The US stretches from just west of Ireland all the way to TΓΌrkiye and interior parts of Russia.

It looks just slightly bigger than in the OP's screenshot

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works -2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

The two "maps" are wildly out of proportions anyway. Looks like Sweden is the size of the entire US West Coast. When in reality it's about the size of California

[–] mrmule@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

One of the most common criticisms of the Mercator map is that it exaggerates the size of countries nearer the poles, while downplaying the size of those near the equator

For example, let's move Russia towards the equator

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 10 hours ago

Mercator does compensate for that by introducing reference rectangles. But of course, that doesn't help when people making posts using those maps, are unaware of how to read them. And also just remove said reference rectangles

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Given how the US border is distorted (Maine is north of the 49th parallel) I'm guessing this is one of those maps that distorts things as you move them around to keep the area constant. Like look how big Greenland looks up in the corner.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Greenland is not in the image

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Then what is the unlabeled landmass at the very top left, northeast of Iceland?

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 2 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

The landmass in the very top left on the image in this post. Is Iceland.

Greenland is not northeast of Iceland either. It's northwest.

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

I meant this one, from earlier in this thread.

[–] Atomic@sh.itjust.works 1 points 14 hours ago

Right. Sorry, my bad.

[–] wavebeam@lemmy.world -1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The entirety of Oregon and most of California and Washington are ocean in this image