Did you know that fourteen Greenlands could fit within the vast expanse of Africa? Yet, this fact is often obscured by the world maps we commonly use. The reality is that every flat map of the world is inherently flawed. Unlike globes or digital representations like Google Earth, flat maps cannot perfectly depict our spherical planet. Despite their inaccuracies, flat maps remain a convenient tool for many purposes.
For centuries, mapmakers struggled to accurately represent the Earth on a flat surface. Early attempts were haphazard, with locations placed arbitrarily and without consistent scale. It wasn’t until 150 AD that the Greek mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy introduced a systematic approach. He mapped the Earth using a grid of coordinates, which allowed for maps to be checked and replicated. This grid, consisting of 180 lines of latitude and 360 lines of longitude, is still in use today.
Despite these advancements, navigation remained a challenge. The Earth’s round shape means the shortest path between two points is a curved line, which complicates navigation on a flat map. Navigators had to constantly adjust their direction, risking errors that could lead them astray.
In 1569, Gerardus Mercator revolutionized mapmaking by creating a map that allowed navigators to maintain a constant bearing. His map straightened the curved navigational routes, making it easier to travel in one direction. However, this came at a cost: land masses and bodies of water were distorted, with areas farthest from the equator appearing larger and those near the equator appearing smaller. Despite these inaccuracies, the Mercator projection remains widely used today, including in online maps.
In 1925, the Goode Homolosine Projection was introduced as an attempt to minimize distortion across the globe. Known as the “orange peel map,” it can be oriented towards land or ocean, but it’s not particularly user-friendly. The Dymaxion Projection, developed by American architect Buckminster Fuller in the 1940s, offers a different approach. While it eliminates visible distortions of land masses, it doesn’t provide a clear sense of distances between locations.
The most accurate projection to date is the AuthaGraph World Map, designed by Japanese architect Hajime Narukawa in 1999. This map maintains proportionality between continents and oceans while retaining a rectangular shape. Yet, even this map isn’t perfect.
While the Mercator projection is practical for navigation, it has been criticized for its portrayal of European and North American countries as larger than they are, potentially fostering a sense of supremacy. Arno Peters addressed this issue with the Gall-Peters Projection, which adjusts the size of continents but results in stretched shapes.
Today, maps are less crucial for navigation but remain vital in education. As Arno Peters highlighted, maps tell a story from the creator’s perspective, influencing our perception of the world. Simple changes in map design can significantly alter our viewpoint, even if they don’t address the challenge of representing a round Earth on a flat surface.
Using graph paper, try to create your own map projection of the world. Start with a globe or a spherical object and attempt to flatten it onto the paper. Think about how you will handle the distortions that occur. Share your map with the class and explain the choices you made in your design.
Find and print different types of map projections, such as the Mercator, Goode Homolosine, Dymaxion, and AuthaGraph. Compare these maps in groups and discuss the distortions you notice. Which map do you think is the most accurate? Why? Present your findings to the class.
Use Google Earth or another virtual globe tool to explore different parts of the world. Compare what you see on the virtual globe with what you see on a flat map. Write a short report on the differences you observe and how these differences might affect our understanding of geography.
Research the history of mapmaking and the contributions of figures like Ptolemy and Gerardus Mercator. Create a timeline that highlights key developments in the history of cartography. Include illustrations or examples of maps from different periods. Share your timeline with the class.
Discuss how different map projections can influence our perception of the world. Create a poster that shows how the Mercator projection and the Gall-Peters projection portray the sizes of different continents. Write a short essay on how these perceptions might affect our worldview and present your poster and essay to the class.
Maps – A representation of an area showing physical features, cities, roads, and other important information. – A map helps us understand where different countries and cities are located in the world.
Earth – The third planet from the Sun, known for its diverse environments and life. – The Earth is made up of land, water, and air, which all support various forms of life.
Projection – A method of representing the curved surface of the Earth on a flat map. – Different map projections can show the same area in various ways, affecting how we perceive distances and sizes.
Latitude – The distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees. – The latitude of the Equator is 0 degrees, while the North Pole is at 90 degrees north latitude.
Longitude – The distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, also measured in degrees. – The longitude of New York City is approximately 74 degrees west.
Navigation – The process of planning and following a route to reach a destination. – Sailors use stars and maps for navigation to find their way across the ocean.
Distortion – The alteration of the original shape or size of an object when represented on a map. – Map distortion can make Greenland appear much larger than it actually is compared to Africa.
Coordinates – A set of numbers that determine the exact location of a point on a map using latitude and longitude. – The coordinates for the Statue of Liberty are approximately 40.6892° N latitude and 74.0445° W longitude.
Continents – The large landmasses on Earth, such as Africa, Asia, and North America. – There are seven continents on Earth, each with its own unique cultures and environments.
Scale – The ratio of a distance on a map to the actual distance on the ground. – A map scale of 1:100,000 means that 1 unit on the map represents 100,000 units in real life.
