>I suspect most people will just continue to ignore the problem, which is
>of course quite a working solution. But if one needs to know the
>dimensions, then things go seriously wrong.
What things go seriously wrong if one "needs to know the dimensions"? How will it affect game-play which is the only reason why the debate is supposedly taking place on this forum? I can't think of a single reason in which heroes should whip out abacuses and contrast population densities against some mysterious standard of which they have no way of knowing.
For most intents and purpose, the _apparent_ size (that which the hero experiences) of a region feels as large as whatever historical parallel you chose. The Lunar Empire feels large because it is portrayed as an empire that dominates the known world. Sartar feels the size of Scotland or Ireland regardless of its area. Troubling oneself with areas and population densities is IMO an arid approach that yields little joy.
--Peter Metcalfe
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