Final answer:
In the Robinson projection, landmasses in the Northern hemisphere appear larger than their true size due to the distortion inherent in showing a spherical surface on a two-dimensional plane.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Robinson projection, landmasses in the Northern hemisphere appear larger than they actually are. This type of map projection is a compromise meant to minimize overall distortion in several key map aspects like shape, area, distance, and direction.
However, like many other map projections, it cannot perfectly represent the true size and shape of landmasses due to the challenge of depicting a spherical surface on a two-dimensional plane.
The Robinson projection specifically inflates the size of landmasses as one moves away from the equator towards the poles, which is more pronounced in the Northern hemisphere where there is more landmass. This results in countries like Canada, Russia, and Greenland appearing significantly larger than they are in reality.