How big is the world?

[NikLR 13,227]

http://www.iflscience.com/editors-blog/your-map-of-the-world-is-wrong/

So people often think when they move from a country in Europe that it can compare to being in the USA. I've said before that the US is just like comparing all of Europe, not a single country in Europe. This vid pretty much explains it spacially speaking.

[Dashinka 24,493]

It is interesting, they left off the largest country that is considered Europe...Russia. I know, the majority of Russia is considered to be in Asia, but this is one thing I have learned through meeting my fiancé/wife. Russia is truly vast, a flight from Moscow to Vladivostok is about 11 hours. Almost double the flight from Boston to LA. But I understand the comparison they are making.

Another interesting aspect of Russia, even though my wife was born and grew up in the Asian part of Russia, she is considered European when she fills out any demographic information about herself.

[NikLR 13,227]

No they didn't, they talked about Russia on the video. Heck before you even WATCH the video the first frame is about Russia! Watch it at 3:48. If you think there are NA, SA, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica, and Australia as continents, then some of Russia is Europe and some is Asia. Majority of PEOPLE live on the European side. http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/continents.htm

Edited September 25, 2016 by NikLR

[Dashinka 24,493]

You are right, I went back and watched the video. Interesting explanation of the Mercator projections.

[millefleur 5,046]

It is interesting, they left off the largest country that is considered Europe...Russia. I know, the majority of Russia is considered to be in Asia, but this is one thing I have learned through meeting my fiancé/wife. Russia is truly vast, a flight from Moscow to Vladivostok is about 11 hours. Almost double the flight from Boston to LA. But I understand the comparison they are making.

Another interesting aspect of Russia, even though my wife was born and grew up in the Asian part of Russia, she is considered European when she fills out any demographic information about herself.

"European" doesn't really mean all that much once you start to scrutinize the term. I mean, it can give a vague concept about someone's genetic heritage and that's about all. I had a "Russian" roommate here who was from a native tribe in Siberia. Looked 100% East Asian. But she was Russian absolutely at the same time, culturally and in her life experience. I wouldn't call Russians who look European, European...I'd call them Slavic. Feel like it's actually more accurate. But that phraseology has fallen out of fashion it seems.

Maps are really intriguing things. Has anyone seen those Southern Hemisphere maps that look "upside down" to us Northern Hemisphere people? Really a whole new perspective, literally!

Edited September 25, 2016 by millefleur

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I think with the dawn of the EU and Russia not being in it, I think it would be safe to not include Russia in Europe. Russia is just Russian, know what I mean? It is like America and Canada that way.

I love when people put Europe on the American map, Denmark is so small it fits inside Michigan!

Interesting was Belgium on top of the Congo. It really shows how ill equipped European countries were in forming these colonies in terms of managing large land masses and how silly it is to compare any tiny European country's development or economy with the struggles of a larger country.

[millefleur 5,046]

I think with the dawn of the EU and Russia not being in it, I think it would be safe to not include Russia in Europe. Russia is just Russian, know what I mean? It is like America and Canada that way.

I love when people put Europe on the American map, Denmark is so small it fits inside Michigan!

Interesting was Belgium on top of the Congo. It really shows how ill equipped European countries were in forming these colonies in terms of managing large land masses and how silly it is to compare any tiny European country's development or economy with the struggles of a larger country.

One time my sister was explaining to a little Austrian girl about where she was from in the US....and she said: "Well, Austria is about the size of Florida...and we have 50 states, with Florida just being one of those!" The girl obviously tried to imagine the size of ONE country fifty times bigger than hers and he just gasped in shock!

Agreed about Russia, it's just it's own thing. Australia is kind of like that, too. I mean, are Australians...European? Hard to say. It's also it's own thing, from what I can tell.

[NikLR 13,227]

Australia is a continent and a country on it's own. They're Australian. They're not European; it's not hard to say, it's easy. They are no where close to being European other than their ancestors. But mine were European as well but I'm Canadian, which while in the commonwealth certainly isn't British.

[millefleur 5,046]

Australia is a continent and a country on it's own. They're Australian. They're not European; it's not hard to say, it's easy. They are no where close to being European other than their ancestors. But mine were European as well but I'm Canadian, which while in the commonwealth certainly isn't British.

Yup, that was kind of my point. More similar to Americans in that sense. I feel that Canada (in the big cities at least) is slightly more European than the US, if not significantly more. Maybe it's just like that in the big cities, though....big cities aren't always the best exemplar of the whole country after all.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Yup, that was kind of my point. More similar to Americans in that sense. I feel that Canada (in the big cities at least) is slightly more European than the US, if not significantly more. Maybe it's just like that in the big cities, though....big cities aren't always the best exemplar of the whole country after all.

Admittedly I haven't been to Vancouver, but Quebec City is the only Canadian city I've been to that screams "Europe!". The other ones are just kind of modern normal cities.

[NikLR 13,227]

Admittedly I haven't been to Vancouver, but Quebec City is the only Canadian city I've been to that screams "Europe!". The other ones are just kind of modern normal cities.

Vancouver is pretty modern.

[Lanasmil 0]

Russia is really big country. I think it would be unpleasant to live in North Asia.