Ever looked at a world map and thought Alaska seemed like a tiny sliver compared to Russia? You're not alone! That's the Mercator projection playing tricks on your eyes. This standard map distorts sizes, especially near the poles. So, how does Alaska *actually* stack up against Russia?
While Russia is undeniably massive, dwarfing almost every country, Alaska's size is often underestimated. Russia is about 17 million square kilometers, while Alaska is approximately 1.7 million square kilometers. That means Russia is roughly 10 times larger than Alaska.
So, next time you glance at a map, remember the Mercator effect! Alaska isn't as small as it appears, but Russia still reigns supreme in terms of landmass. Explore alternative map projections like the Gall-Peters projection to see a more accurate representation of land size!
