Rearranging the map

If the size of countries matched their populations, the Chinese, the world’s most numerous people, would occupy the territory of Russia, the world’s largest country in area.  The Indians would occupy Canada, the Canadians would occupy Pakistan, the Pakistanis would occupy Australia, and the Australians would live in Spain.  North and South Koreans would relocate to southern Africa, but would still be neighbors.

Here is what the world would look like.

Double click to enlarge

The United States is one of the few countries whose relative size matches its population.  Others are Brazil, Ireland and Yemen.  Click on Rearranged World for details and commentary.

Click on Strange Maps for the web log of Frank Jacobs, who created the Rearranged World map.  It is full of interesting and unusual stuff.

Here is a map showing what the world would be if the nations had areas in proportion to their size, but stayed put. [2/18/11]

Double click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

I originally posted a map here showing U.S. states named according to countries with equivalent GDPs.  I deleted it because commenters made the case that the statistics were unreliable. Click on US States Renamed for Countries With Similar GDPs and Update on GDP Map of the USA if you want to see that map and the comments on the Strange Maps web log. [2/18/11]

Click on The Great European Shouting Match and Mapping Stereotypes for maps of Europe and the world according to various presumed national stereotypes.

Paramount Studios map of California as the world (1927)

Here is another Strange Maps map, showing what movie locations in California were used by Paramount Studios in 1927 for what parts of the world. [Update 2/23/11]  Click on California as the World for details and comments. [Updated 2/23/11.  When I posted this originally, I linked to a copy of the map on The Daily Dish web log.  [Update 2/24/11.  The actual original source is Flowing Data, which I would have realized if I had paid closer attention.]

Tags: Frank Jacobs, Geography, Maps, Rearranged world, Strange maps, Unusual maps, World population