Answers from this past challenge. Today’s challenge remains a surprise.
Simplified outlines from Natural Earth face north. Answers give approximate east–west or north–south spans in kilometres, not land areas or the distance between the farthest points. Some remote islands are omitted; each answer explains the included territory.
Round 1
How wide is Tanzania compared with Ukraine?
ReferenceUkraine≈ 1,320 km east–west
Compared objectTanzania≈ 1,230 km east–west
Illustrations shown individually, not to a shared scale.
Actual size ratio
≈ 0.9339×
Tanzania ÷ Ukraine, comparing east–west width.
This simplified Natural Earth outline of Tanzania shows the territory and islands represented in this dataset. Its approximate east–west span is 1,230 km in a local equirectangular projection corrected at the outline's middle latitude. This is a projected extent, not land area.
Illustrations shown individually, not to a shared scale.
Actual size ratio
≈ 1.699×
Azerbaijan ÷ Portugal, comparing east–west width.
This simplified Natural Earth outline of Azerbaijan shows the territory and islands represented in this dataset. Its approximate east–west span is 480 km in a local equirectangular projection corrected at the outline's middle latitude. This is a projected extent, not land area.
How far north to south is Kyrgyzstan compared with South Africa?
ReferenceSouth Africa≈ 1,410 km north–south
Compared objectKyrgyzstan≈ 450 km north–south
Illustrations shown individually, not to a shared scale.
Actual size ratio
≈ 0.3191×
Kyrgyzstan ÷ South Africa, comparing north–south height.
This simplified Natural Earth outline of Kyrgyzstan shows the territory and islands represented in this dataset. Its approximate north–south span is 450 km in a local equirectangular projection corrected at the outline's middle latitude. This is a projected extent, not land area.
Illustrations shown individually, not to a shared scale.
Actual size ratio
≈ 0.4809×
Laos ÷ Turkey, comparing east–west width.
This simplified Natural Earth outline of Laos shows the territory and islands represented in this dataset. Its approximate east–west span is 800 km in a local equirectangular projection corrected at the outline's middle latitude. This is a projected extent, not land area.
Illustrations shown individually, not to a shared scale.
Actual size ratio
≈ 3.219×
Japan ÷ Liberia, comparing east–west width.
This simplified Natural Earth outline of Japan shows the four main islands and nearby islands, excluding the remote southern island chains. Its approximate east–west span is 1,460 km in a local equirectangular projection corrected at the outline's middle latitude. This is a projected extent, not land area.
