Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about how CountryShape works.
Why are some large empires or alliances not included?
Some entities do not work meaningfully with CountryShape’s movable-shape comparison model. The British Empire, for example, held widely separated territories across several continents and oceans—there is no single placement on a flat map where moving and comparing that footprint produces a fair or intuitive result. Highly dispersed global entities like that may be omitted. Coverage is curated for shapes that compare well in practice, and the catalog may expand over time.
Why does a shape change apparent size when I move it?
CountryShape keeps each territory’s real area constant, then rescales its outline to fit the map projection at the latitude where you place it. Mercator maps stretch features toward the poles, so the same shape looks larger near Greenland and smaller near the equator. That is the point of the tool: to show how projection distorts perception of size.
How are disputed territories handled?
Boundaries and names follow common cartographic conventions and OpenStreetMap practice. Displaying a territory does not imply endorsement of any legal or political claim.
What can I compare?
Modern sovereign countries, first-level subdivisions (states, provinces, regions), selected historical empires and polities, a small set of international organizations, and proposed states. Search the bar to see what is available.
Where do boundaries come from?
Modern country and subdivision outlines come from OpenStreetMap contributor data. Historical shapes use OpenHistoricalMap and public-domain archives. Statistics shown in search (population, capital, area) are drawn from bundled Wikidata and Wikipedia metadata. The basemap tiles are served separately via Protomaps / OpenStreetMap and are not the same data as the draggable shapes.
How accurate are historical boundaries?
Historical borders are best-effort reconstructions for comparison and education. Sources vary by period and region, coastlines are simplified, and boundaries were often fuzzy in reality. Treat them as illustrative, not as legal or scholarly precision.
How does sharing work?
The Share button encodes your map view—center, zoom, theme, and every shape’s position, rotation, color, and labels—into the URL hash fragment in your browser. Copy the link and send it; opening that link restores the scene locally. CountryShape does not store your arrangement on a server.
Is CountryShape free?
Yes. The map is free to use. Advertising may be shown in some configurations to help support hosting costs.
Does CountryShape require an account?
No. There is no registration, login, or user profile.
How does grouping work?
Select “Group Shapes,” click the territories you want, and confirm. The group moves, rotates, flips, and recolors as one unit. You can rename the group and share it like any other scene.
Why do outlines simplify while I drag a shape?
Detailed borders can contain tens of thousands of points. While dragging, CountryShape draws a lighter outline so interaction stays smooth on phones and laptops. Full detail returns when you release the shape.
Can I use screenshots or recordings?
Yes—you may share screenshots and recordings for lawful purposes, including education, social media, and publications. Please credit CountryShape and link to countryshape.com when possible so others can find the tool. Geographic data and map components shown in your captures remain subject to their respective attribution requirements (see Attributions in the app).
Who can I contact?