Have you ever looked at a world map and felt that Southeast Asia appears small, scattered, and almost unnoticeable? Meanwhile, Greenland seems as large as Africa, and Canada looms prominently in the north. But is our region really that small?
Welcome to the world of the Mercator projection, a map system that shapes how we view the world while concealing misleading distortions. This projection has caused many regions to appear significantly larger or smaller than they truly are.
In reality, Southeast Asia is physically larger than the entire European Union. Yet in the eyes of the world—and often even in our own—the region is frequently perceived as insignificant.
Mercator Projection: Practical but Misleading
The Mercator projection, introduced by Gerardus Mercator in 1569, was originally designed for maritime navigation. Its strength lies in preserving angles and directions, allowing sea routes to be represented as straight lines.
This is why the Mercator projection remains popular today on digital platforms like Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, and school atlases.
However, this convenience comes at a cost: massive distortions in land size, especially near the poles. Countries like Canada, Russia, and much of Europe appear disproportionately enlarged, while equatorial regions like Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America visually shrink.
A striking example: on a Mercator map, Greenland looks nearly as large as Africa—when in fact, Africa is 14 times bigger. This isn’t just a technical error; it’s a visual distortion that subtly shapes our subconscious perception of a region’s importance.
Map Bias: When Size Shapes Perception
In the visual world, what appears large and centrally placed is often perceived as more important. Cognitive studies show that humans focus more on visually dominant objects. It’s no surprise, then, that regions like Southeast Asia are often underestimated simply because they appear "small" on the map.
This leads to what is known as “map bias”—a cartographic distortion that embeds misleading perceptions of geographical size and position. And this isn’t just a matter of cartography, it touches on identity, representation, and the confidence of nations and regions.
Southeast Asia vs. the European Union: The Actual Bigger
Let’s bust a common myth: that Southeast Asia is just a “tiny zone” tucked away in a corner of the world. According to official ASEAN data, the total land area of Southeast Asia (including Timor-Leste) is approximately 4,522,518 km². Compare that to the European Union (27 member states), which spans around 4,233,255 km².
That means Southeast Asia is roughly 290,000 km² larger, about the size of Germany, or the combined area of Italy and Spain. In percentage terms, Southeast Asia is around 7% larger than the EU. That’s no small figure.
| Region | Land Area |
|---|---|
| Southeast Asia | ~4.52 million km² |
| European Union | ~4.23 million km² |
Why Does Size Matter?
Size isn’t everything, but in geopolitics and global perception, it carries strategic weight. When maps shrink Southeast Asia, the result isn’t just a visual distortion, it’s a symbolic reduction of the region’s role and potential.
Yet with a population of over 683 million people and a projected GDP (PPP) of US$11.239 trillion in 2023, Southeast Asia deserves to be seen as an economic and cultural bloc on par with others, not as a “small region” in a forgotten corner of the map.
Moreover, accurate maps aren't just about geography, they're about education and global awareness. They help foster a more balanced understanding of the world, enabling students and professionals alike to see the bigger picture—accurately and fairly.
