At this stage you’ve no doubt seen the meme that Trump only wants Greenland because of how much bigger it looks using the Mercator Projection:
While 100% true, what I think this meme forgets, is that even though Greenland is much smaller than the Mercator map would lead you to believe, it’s still massive:
At 2,166,086 km2 (836,330 sq mi) Greenland is bigger than Mexico (1,964,375 km2; 758,449 sq miles) and around 25% bigger than Alaska (1,723,337 km2; 665,384 sq miles) (which in turn is is 2.5X the size of Texas [695,662 km2; 268,596 sq mi]).
Here’s Greenland and Mexico swapping spots:
It accounts for 98% of Kingdom of Denmark’s land area: 2,166,086 km2 (836,330 sq mi) out of 2,210,573 km2 (853,507 sq mi)
AND, if Trump does acquire it, it would the largest single territorial acquisition in US history after the birth of the country in 1776.
Original territory of the Thirteen States including western lands, roughly between the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains, that were claimed but not administered by the states: 2,310,619 km2 (892,135 sq mi)
Louisiana Purchase: 2,144,476 km2 (827,987 sq mi)
Timeline of US Territorial Acquisitions:
It would increase US Land Area by around 20% and make the US the undisputed second largest country in the world by area.
Total US territory if it acquired Greenland: 11,691,153 km2 (4,513,977 sq mi).
In Comparison:
- Russia: 17,098,246 km2 (6,601,667 sq mi)
- Canada: 9,984,670 km2 (3,855,100 sq mi)
- China: 9,596,960 km2 (3,705,410 sq mi)
Personally, I think it’s insane that we’re even talking about the use of US military force against an ally.
But to pretend that it’s simply an issue of using the wrong map projection is to make as big an error the other way.
That said there may be an easy way to save Greenland…
What do you think?
JD says
I think you wrote a clickbait headline to steal views on a low-effort post.
Brilliant Maps says
Not sure who I’m stealing views from but fair enough.
Andrew Galpern says
I don’t understand the curvy part of the map (the half elipse). Do you mind dropping in a note to explain it. Thanks.
Brilliant Maps says
Do you mean the Greenland flag?
Nunya says
Passive aggressive reply to a good question much? It’s a rough representation of the flag superimposed on a Greenland outline overlayed on a map of the US. It’s easy to not be clear it’s their flag.
Jeffrey Duncan says
Sometimes a question is simply a question. Clarifying first is pretty standard.