Clearing up the distortions

1. Cartographers affect how we perceive our world

2. Representing the earth A geographical map is a two-dimensional, geometrically accurate representation of a three-dimensional space. Inevitably, however, distortion is introduced when a globe is made to lay flat. This teacher uses a physical map of Europe to explain his point.

3. Ancient map Claudius Ptolemy (150 AD) map drawn from Ptolemy's coordinates for a 1482 edition of his Geographia

5. The earth is round. The challenge of any world map is to represent a round earth on a flat surface. Which projection?

6. Map Projections

7. Cylindrical Projection: is based on a cylinder tangent to the equator. Good for equatorial regions but greatly distorted at high latitudes .

8. Though the Mercator projection is particularly good for navigation, it becomes increasingly distorted toward the poles, resulting in areas appearing much larger than they actually are. Mercator projection

10. The distortion caused by a Mercator projection makes Greenland appear larger than Australia when, in fact, it’s one-third its size.

11. The Eckert projection tries to keep the countries in relative proportion but still flattens out near the poles.

12. The Peters projection is an area-accurate map

13. The Robinson projection The Robinson projection is based on tables of coordinates. The projection distorts shape, area, scale, and distance in an attempt to balance the errors of projection properties.

15. Polar This projection is used by pilots to determine the shortest route between two points on the globe.

16. Upside down? Depends on our pre-conceptions

17. Differences between map projections

19. Map Symbols Legend Compass Rose These keys should be included on any map to which they apply Strait Isthmus Scale

22. “ Like a huge piece of orange peel that refuses to be flattened without tearing at the edges, the globe cannot be forced into two dimensions without distortion. But that distortion can now be minimised “ Atlas technology

25. Links