The area of each country is roughly proportionate to its actual size . However, the map can be redrawn with the sizes of countries made bigger or smaller in order to represent something of interest. These maps, like the one below showing child mortality, are called cartograms.
They are an excellent way of displaying social and economic data. You can see more of these intriguing maps by clicking on either of the maps above. You could spend a useful few minutes looking for connections between them. Look at Africa, for example, and consider what the maps show about GDP, child mortality, spending on healthcare and the incidence of HIV infection.
