French Polynesia vs South Georgia

French Polynesia and South Georgia are almost exactly the same size.

French PolynesiaSouth GeorgiaFrench Polynesia moved onto South Georgia · Equal-area projection
1.02×
French Polynesia is 1.02× the area of South Georgia.
French PolynesiaSouth Georgia
Area4,167 km²4,066 km²
Population282,46535
Density68 / km²0.01 / km²
CapitalPapeeteKing Edward Point
RegionPolynesiaSeven seas (open ocean)
CoastlineHas a coastHas a coast
Neighbours00

Why the map you grew up with disagrees

On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. French Polynesia sits at about 15°S and is stretched to 1.07× its true area; South Georgia at 54° S is stretched to 2.96×. That difference is why South Georgia looks so much bigger than it is next to French Polynesia. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.

Questions about this pair

Is French Polynesia bigger than South Georgia?
Yes. French Polynesia and South Georgia are almost exactly the same size. French Polynesia covers 4,167 km² and South Georgia covers 4,066 km².
How many times does South Georgia fit into French Polynesia?
About 1.0 times: French Polynesia has 1.02× the area of South Georgia.
Why do French Polynesia and South Georgia look different on Google Maps?
Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. French Polynesia is drawn about 1.07× its true area there and South Georgia about 2.96×. That is why South Georgia looks so much bigger than it really is next to French Polynesia. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Which has more people, French Polynesia or South Georgia?
French Polynesia: 282,465 people against 35. Density: French Polynesia 68 per km², South Georgia 0.01 per km².