Texas, the second-largest U.S. state, is known for its vast size. But just how big is it compared to Europe? A viral map circulating online attempts to visualize this comparison, sparking curiosity and raising questions about its accuracy.
Alt Text: A map overlaying the outline of Texas on a map of Europe, illustrating the state’s significant size.
A map shared on social media in October 2024 purportedly showed the outline of Texas superimposed on a map of Europe. The visual suggested that Texas could cover substantial portions of several Western European countries. While the map isn’t entirely accurate, it does highlight the sheer scale of the Lone Star State.
Analyzing the Viral Map
Experts confirm that Texas is indeed enormous. However, the viral map slightly exaggerates its size. Hayley Drennon, a senior research assistant at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, recreated the map using official data from the Texas Department of Transportation and ESRI’s ArcPro Software. Her analysis revealed that while the viral map’s general concept is correct, the Texas border is moderately enlarged.
(Snopes compilation Facebook/@myamericatravel, Drennon)
Alt text: Side-by-side comparison of the viral map and a map created using official data, highlighting the exaggeration in the viral map.
For instance, the viral map places El Paso County, in West Texas, closer to the Spain-France border than its actual location. Similarly, the southernmost point of Cameron County extends further south towards Rome in the viral map compared to Drennon’s accurate depiction.
Understanding Map Projections and Distortions
Drennon explains that the discrepancies likely stem from differences in map projections. Projecting a three-dimensional globe onto a two-dimensional map inevitably introduces distortions. Different projection methods result in variations in the representation of landmasses, particularly regarding size and shape.
The viral map appears to have been created using the website “The True Size.” This website aims to demonstrate the distortions inherent in the commonly used Mercator projection, which tends to exaggerate the size of countries nearer the poles while diminishing the size of those closer to the equator.
The True Size of Texas
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas has a land area of 261,193.9 square miles and a water area of 7,330.9 square miles, totaling 268,524.8 square miles. While not quite as large as depicted in the viral map, this still makes Texas a geographically significant entity.
(Courtesy of Hayley Drennon / TDT / ESRI)
Alt Text: A map accurately depicting the size of Texas overlaid on a map of Europe, created using official data.
Conclusion: Texas is Big, But Not That Big
The viral map provides a compelling, albeit slightly exaggerated, visualization of Texas’s size compared to Europe. While it effectively conveys the state’s vastness, it’s crucial to understand the limitations of map projections and the potential for distortions. Texas is undeniably large, but its true size, while impressive, is slightly smaller than the viral representation suggests. Nevertheless, the comparison serves as a striking reminder of the geographical scale of the Lone Star State.
