How big is Kiribati really?
Kiribati covers 535 km² (207 sq mi). On the usual world map (the Mercator projection) it is drawn close to its true size: it lies near the equator, where the usual world map stretches little.
See Kiribati at its true size on the map →True size vs the map
Both drawn at the same scale. The map keeps shapes but swells everything away from the equator.
Kiribati in numbers
- Kiribati is the 196th largest of the 196 countries and territories in Globegami.
- Countries of about the same true size: Micronesia (541 km²), Guam (544 km²), Isle of Man (572 km²).
- The United Kingdom is 453 times the size of Kiribati.
Why the map gets Kiribati wrong
Kiribati lies around 2°N. A Mercator map stretches distances there by about 1.0 times in every direction, which barely changes its size. Most web maps use this projection because it keeps angles and shapes right for navigation, not because it shows sizes fairly.
In Globegami you can drag a copy of Kiribati anywhere on Earth: it keeps its true size and grows or shrinks on the map as it moves, and you can fold the map back into a globe.
Areas: official totals including inland water (UN Statistics Division via Wikidata). Outlines: Natural Earth. How Globegami works