Japan vs the United Kingdom: which is larger?
Japan is 1.54× the area of United Kingdom in our Natural Earth boundary dataset. The difference between the estimates is 130,488 km².
What the map can hide
Both places are made up of islands, and their long outlines can distract from the amount of area inside them. The United Kingdom’s higher representative latitude gives it more Mercator enlargement than Japan.
Use the equal-area map or proportional bars for the answer. The movable outlines help show why the empty spaces around island chains should not be treated as land.
Compare the outlines
Compare both at their original positions in Mercator, then in equal area. Which projection changes your first impression more?
Open this pair in the equal-area map or compare it in Mercator. The selected outline moves on the map, while both area numbers stay fixed.
How to read these figures
Small islands and detailed coastlines are simplified in the 1:50m file. The United Kingdom entry is its own map feature; some overseas territories are separate features.
Both areas are calculated from the original Natural Earth 1:50m polygons before display simplification. They are consistent estimates for this site, rather than official land or total-area statistics. The area guide explains what those definitions include. The projection guide explains the changing drawing.