A Geographic Perspective

Well, almost time to go.  One last thought:  just how big IS South Africa??  The widest part of the continent is about 3000 miles (about the width of the continental USA), but what about the narrow southern end, where South Africa lies?

Well, thanks to an excellent site called IfItWereMyHome, we don't have to wonder.  This awesome site was recommended by one of my social studies contacts via Twitter.  Once you go to the site, click on Country Comparison, and select from a list of (I think) every country on Earth.  This site then superimposes the country you are interested in onto a map of the USA (or another country).  It's amazing!

Here's the results when I selected South Africa:

So, just how big IS South Africa?  Well, based on this map, it looks to be about twice as wide as the New England states and stretches from New York to the tip of Maine (if we adjusted it southwest just slightly).

This site also gives you amazing comparative statistics between the two countries (which I won't go into here), but it gives you a great, quick look into a country in just a few seconds!

As a Geography teacher, I strive to give students the right initial perspective when we begin to explore a new country or region.  This tool is exactly what I have been looking for..!