World maps may not always show countries in their true proportions, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the places that can appear smaller than they actually are.
The reason is largely linked to the widely used Mercator projection, a map-making method that significantly enlarges landmasses located farther from the Equator.
This can make countries and regions in northern parts of the world appear much larger than their actual geographic size.
Saudi Arabia covers approximately 2.15 million square kilometres, making it one of the largest countries in the world.
Its total area is remarkably close to that of Greenland, yet Greenland can appear dramatically larger on conventional world maps.
A United Nations resolution has now endorsed the Equal Earth projection, an equal-area mapping system designed to represent the relative sizes of countries and continents more accurately.
The resolution reportedly passed with 164 votes in favour, one against, and six abstentions. However, it is not legally binding.
The decision could encourage greater use of equal-area maps in schools, government institutions, digital platforms and technology products, potentially giving people a more accurate understanding of the true scale of the world.
Maps are not just illustrations. They shape how people visualize geography, distance and the relative size of different regions.
