Adjust the ratio
Use touch, a mouse, the slider’s arrow keys, or the number field. A ratio of 1× means equal area.
Five questions. One sense of scale.
Guess the real size of countries
How big is one country compared with another? Adjust the outline, then reveal the answer.
- 5 untimed questions
- No account
Drag the ratio slider, use its arrow keys, or enter a number from 0.25× to 4×. Reveal the answer when you are ready.
Set the area, not the width
The two outlines begin with equal displayed areas. Your task is to set B’s area compared with A.
Reveal and compare
Submit once to lock your guess and see both outlines at the same map scale.
Skip a question
Skip reveals the answer and awards 0 points. There is no time limit.
How to play
How to guess the real size of countries
Read the country names, adjust the outline, and compare your guess with the map-based answer.
- 1
Look at both outlines
A is your reference. Both shapes start with equal displayed areas, so their initial size does not reveal the answer.
- 2
Choose B’s area ratio
Set a value between 0.25× and 4×. A 4× area needs about 2× the width and height.
- 3
Reveal the answer
See the estimated ratio, your score, and an explanation. Then move to the next question.
- 4
Review or play again
After five questions, review your answers or start another five from the shuffled question bank.
A few ways to think about area
These are comparison prompts, not shortcuts to the answers.
Notice the whole shape
A long, narrow country can have less area than a shorter, wider one.
Think in multiples
Ask whether B is about half, equal, or double A before making a finer adjustment.
Check the explanation
The answer uses estimated area from a fixed map dataset. Visit Data & accuracy for its scope and limits.
About Guess the Real Size
Guess the Real Size is a browser game about country area comparisons. The country mode has 12 countries, 20 question pairs, and five questions per round.
Country outlines and answers come from the same Natural Earth 1:50m boundary dataset. They are estimates from game map data, not official national land-area figures.
The current round stays in memory. Refreshing restarts the game; this version has no account, leaderboard, or permanent best-score storage.
A few things to know
Rules, scores, and the limits of the map-based answers.
Do the starting outlines show their real relative sizes?
No. Their displayed areas start equal. You adjust B’s area and the real map-data ratio is revealed after you submit or skip.
How does scoring work?
An exact guess earns 100. Twice or half the correct ratio earns 50. Four times or one quarter earns 0. Skipping also earns 0; five questions give a maximum of 500.
Are these official country areas?
No. Areas are estimated from Natural Earth 1:50m Admin 0 Countries version 5.1.1. The game uses the same boundaries for outlines and answers. Data & accuracy explains islands, water, and simplification.
Can I play with a keyboard or on my phone?
Yes. Use the ratio slider, its arrow keys, or the numeric field. When the valid numeric field is focused, Enter reveals the answer. Buttons also work with normal keyboard navigation.
Will my game be saved?
Your active round is kept in memory and resets on refresh. A small diagnostic log may remain for this browser tab’s session; it does not restore progress or a permanent best score.