Mercator vs Equal Earth: which world map is right?
These are the two maps you'll see compared most on this site. Mercator is the map most phones and websites use by default. Equal Earth is the map this site uses by default instead. They're not rivals where one is right and one is wrong — they're built to be good at two different things.
What each one protects
Mercator protects direction — a straight line on the map really is a straight compass path in real life, which is why sailors loved it. Equal Earth protects size — a country's true size on the globe shows up as its true size on the map. Neither map can protect both at once.
Why Mercator makes far-north and far-south countries look bigger
Mercator has to stretch land more and more the closer it gets to the North or South Pole, to keep those compass lines straight. That's why Greenland, Antarctica and other far-north or far-south places look enormous on it — the stretching, not their real size, is doing that.
What Equal Earth gives up to fix that
Equal Earth fixes the size problem, but it isn't free — shapes bend a bit, especially near the top and bottom of the map, and it doesn't keep compass directions perfectly straight the way Mercator does. That's a fine trade for a general map, but not for steering a ship.
Why the web mostly shows you Mercator anyway
Most map apps on your phone still use a version of Mercator, but not because anyone decided it was the 'best' world map — it's because Mercator's straight grid lines make it easy to build map tiles that line up at every zoom level. It's an engineering shortcut that stuck around, not a vote for accuracy.
Verdict
Use Mercator when you need to follow a straight compass direction, like steering a boat, or when you're zoomed into a city street map. Use Equal Earth when you want an honest picture of how big countries really are, like comparing populations or just looking at the whole world.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between the Mercator and Equal Earth projections?
Mercator is a conformal projection that keeps shapes and compass directions true but distorts area, especially near the poles. Equal Earth is an equal-area projection that keeps every region's true size correct but bends some shapes to do it.
Why does Greenland look so big on the Mercator map?
Mercator stretches land more and more the farther it is from the equator, to keep compass lines straight for navigation. That stretching is why Greenland looks close in size to Africa on a Mercator map, even though it is nowhere near that large.
Is the Mercator projection wrong?
No. Mercator is conformal and was built for marine navigation, where straight compass lines matter far more than country size. It's the wrong choice for a general world map used to compare sizes, but the right tool for the job it was designed for.
When should I use Mercator instead of Equal Earth?
Use Mercator for navigation charts, flight paths, or any map where you need a straight line to represent a constant compass bearing, such as sailing or local street-level web maps. Use Equal Earth whenever comparing the true size of places matters more.
Why did Equal Earth replace Mercator as the default map online?
Equal Earth was published in 2018 specifically to give the web an equal-area alternative to Mercator that still looks visually pleasing, unlike older equal-area options. It keeps country sizes honest without the harsh shape distortion some earlier equal-area maps had.