Human Interest

"As you may know, Google Maps uses the Mercator projection. So do other Web mapping services, such as Bing Maps and MapQuest. Over the years I’ve encountered antipathy toward the use of the Web Mercator from map projection people. I know of two distinct schools of opposition. One school, consisting of cartographic folks and map aficionados, thinks the Mercator projection is 'bad': The projection misrepresents relative sizes across the globe and cannot even show the poles, they are so inflated. The other school, consisting of geodesy folks, thinks mapping services have corrupted the Mercator projection, whether by using the wrong formulæ for it or by using the wrong coordinate system for it."

This site is used to highlight the distortion issues caused by the Mercator map projection. It can be used to show the true size of countries

How it Works

1. Enter a country or state name

2. Hover over selection for size information

3. Click on selection to drag

4. Right-click on selection to delete

Tags: mapping, visualization, map projections, cartography, perspective.

Via Courtney Barrowman

"In some ways, all 2D maps of Earth are interrupted at some point, even if it’s just along the antimeridian at 180°. Interruptions are often in areas of less interest e.g. oceans for a land-focused map."

Via Tony Hall

A map projection is used to portray all or part of the round Earth on a flat surface. This cannot be done without some distortion.  Every projection has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. There is no "best" projection.  The mapmaker must select the one best suited to the needs, reducing distortion of the most important features.  Mapmakers and mathematicians have devised almost limitless ways to project the image of the globe onto paper. Scientists at the U. S. Geological Survey have designed projections for their specific needs—such as the Space Oblique Mercator, which allows mapping from satellites with little or no distortion.  This document gives the key properties, characteristics, and preferred uses of many historically important projections and of those frequently used by mapmakers today.