Maps Of The World

[black_cat51]

in other countries do their standard maps of the world look like the ones you see here (ie america on the left and russia/australia on the right)?

[Buenchico]

Our maps appear that way because the Greenwich Meridian runs down the middle, so that 180 degrees West is at the far left and 180 degrees East is at the far right. It's a logical way of doing things (partly because when it's noon in London everywhere else shown on the map will be using the same day, and not a day ahead or a day behind). So it's the standard way of displaying maps (on the Mercator Projection) throughout the world.

However there's no real reason why North should be at the top. If you visit Australia you can find plenty of places selling maps with South at the top. Such maps also tend to place the International Date Line, rather than the Greenwich Meridian, running down the centre:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-940AYszM8RA/UViapqzJywI/AAAAAAAAIRk/VTSDNbKPI2k/s1600/maps+-+upside+down+world+map.jpg

[Peaspeculiars]

Is this what you were thinking of Black_cat?:

http://oi59.tinypic.com/tahixj.jpg

I've had a quick search under 'how do other countries draw their world map' and can't see anything other than the standard mapping world view. It would be interesting to know though... what made you think of it?

[Peaspeculiars]

Doh! Buenchico, you beat me to it with the Australia map :-)

[humbersloop]

yes blackcat, everyone uses the Mercator projection for maps as standard, although there has been some recent dispute about the way it presents the world


http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercator_projection

[Buenchico]

Further to the above, there's also no unique reason why maps should use the Mercator Projection, where the lines of latitude are pulled apart at the top so that they remain a constant distance apart. (My link uses the Mercator Projection).

Peasculiar's map uses the Hob-Dyer Projection, where the areas of countries are shown in their true proportions. So Australia looks about 1½ times the size of Europe, because it is.

Using an Azimuthal Equidistant Projection produces a 'Great Circle' map, where the true direction and bearing from a specified place (at the centre of the map) are preserved. So, for example, if you want to beam a radio signal from London to Australia along the shortest path, this map shows you that you need to point your aerial between North-East & East, depending upon which part of Oz you're aiming at:
http://onestoparts.com/files/1097-6837-5._cable___wireless_great_circle_map__1945_.jpg

[Peaspeculiars]

You lot are far too clever for me - Interesting stuff, will read, digest, and save to brain :-)

[humbersloop]

^^ the meridian also runs through Cleethorpes...


...but that was never gonna happen :-D

[jno]

this Google search

http://tinyurl.com/k6855x6

suggests yes. I have seen occasional maps with the Pacific in the middle, but very seldom.

[jno]

it depends what you want in your projections. Gall-Peters gets the comparative areas right but the shapes wrong. There's no right way to present a three-dimensional planet on a two-demensional flat map.

[jomifl]

The Mercator projection was not devised to represent the world in an accurate way but to simpify navigation, particularly compass direction. Only on a mercator projection is a line oriented in a particular direction straight parallel with any other line oriented in the same direction.. ie, all lines pointing NE/SW are straight and parallel with one another.

[Peter Pedant]

It depends what you wanna preserve in your map projection

Mercator does not preserve areas - but does latitude (I think)

[jomifl]

most of them are only interested in the availability of money with no cutting off of hands..

[joggerjayne]

The Cleethorpes Meridian ?