the reason why many people think it is much smaller....

Maps of the world are usually drawn from the perspective of Europe. You will find Western Europe pretty much in the middle of the map. Since the earth is round, Europe is drawn as if it is closest to you and the other parts of the world are drawn in that perspective (kind of dissappearing in the distance). I know unicef and amnesty have put out maps in the past that would for example turn the world so that Africa is "closest � to you and the rest is draped around it on the globe. On those maps you suddenly see how huge the African continent is!