Most maps use the “Mercator projection.” That’s good if you’re sailing somewhere. It’s bad if you’re trying to figure out how big, say, Africa is. On the Mercator projection, Africa looks to be about the same size as Greenland. In fact, it’s 14 times larger. (There was a great West Wing subplot about this.)

Africa is much, much bigger than you think

Don't live in the Dark about the so called  Dark Continent and the dark drive to reconquer it with AFRICOM and its Comrades in Arms.

http://knowmore.washingtonpost.com/2013/10/27/africa-is-much-much-bigger-than-you-think/