Map Of The World

[W_L]

So which map do you prefer of how you view the world?

 

I know it sounds silly, but there are different ways maps can be organized and it affects our judgments on the peoples, nations, and cultures in the world.

 

I think everyone knows the Mercator Map of the World, since we were introduced to geography through this in the US.

 

 

The Mercator map is what we base our understanding of the world, peoples, nations, and cultures by for more than 500 years.

 

This map however is completely false in terms of geographic and national scaling, Mercator's map minimizes the importance of Africa and over exaggerates Greenland.

 

There are alternate maps like the style that British students might recognize from their primary schools, Gall-Peters Model:

 

I personally prefer this map, which I had in my Magnet school and University:

Edited October 29, 2015 by W_L

[Drew Espinosa]

WL, I like the Mercator Map, because that is what I grew up with Yeah, it ain't accurate, all map projections aren't perfect. Each one sacrifices something for another.

 

However to solve all those issues... the globe is the obvious answer

 

  I admit, I globes

Edited October 29, 2015 by Drew Espinosa

[Cynus]

I think the last one is definitely my favorite, and the one I wish I'd been taught with.

[Drew Espinosa]

So which map do you prefer of how you view the world?

 

I know it sounds silly, but there are different ways maps can be organized and it affects our judgments on the peoples, nations, and cultures in the world.

 

I think everyone knows the Mercator Map of the World, since we were introduced to geography through this in the US.

 

 

The Mercator map is what we base our understanding of the world, peoples, nations, and cultures by for more than 500 years.

 

This map however is completely false in terms of geographic and national scaling, Mercator's map minimizes the importance of Africa and over exaggerates Greenland.

I will add that, as a kid when a teacher told me Greenland was an island, I looked at her as she was crazy I asked myself, How is that huge piece of land an island and not a continent?

 

Oh and I love this projection, because I find it so strange

 

 

 

 

[W_L]

That's a cute projection

 

If I am not mistaken that's a Goode one No Seriously, John Goode made that back in 1920's. It's weird, because it breaks up the traditional Cylindrical maps into separate equal portions.

 

Yes I know I am geek for liking Maps, but honestly, when the US is lagging horribly behind on Geography versus other countries, I just want to buck the trend and show people that the way we view our place in the world is not what is the true representation of our place in the world. The US is not as "Big" as some maps portray, nor is Greenland Africa is gigantic

 

I will add that, as a kid when a teacher told me Greenland was an island, I looked at her as she was crazy I asked myself, How is that huge piece of land an island and not a continent?

 

Oh and I love this projection, because I find it so strange

 

 

 

 

[Drew Espinosa]

WL, I understand the feeling. As a kid, I excelled in geography. Honestly, I can explore a map or an atlas all day

 

Oh!!! and this topic reminded me of a video

 

 

 

The links he provides are so fascinating!

[W_L]

We should play a game of Risk some time. Mercator Map version

 

The US is a great example of bad geography and cartography

 

A lot of US maps distort the size of States:

 

 

Which state is bigger:

 

Wyoming or New Mexico?

Arizona or Montana?

Alaska or Texas?

Edited October 29, 2015 by W_L

[Drew Espinosa]

We should play a game of Risk some time. Mercator Map version

 

The US is a great example of bad geography and cartography

 

A lot of US maps distort the size of States:

 

 

Which state is bigger:

 

Wyoming or New Mexico?

Arizona or Montana?

Alaska or Texas?

I always saw it as trying to fit the outliers (Alaska and Hawaii) in a more compact fashion, for practicality's sake

 

Btw, the bold and red are my answers

 

ETA: This has gotten me thinking about the history of cartography!

 

 

I really love how early maps were "upside-down" It is just so cool!  This one in particular is the famous Tabula Rogeriana by Muhammad al-Idrisi.

Edited October 29, 2015 by Drew Espinosa

[W_L]

Well at least that one didn't have Atlantis

 

 

1880's view of the Ancient world with the lost Continent from Ignatius Donnelly, Populist US Congressman and amateur Historian (He should have stuck to politics )

Edited October 29, 2015 by W_L

[MrM]

So silly.

Everyone knows that Atlantis is now named Santorini!

Edited October 29, 2015 by MrM

[Drew Espinosa]

Well, here's a Map of Europe (Hetalia edition)

 

[W_L]

Russia looks sad and cute, too bad he's a psychopath in the story

 

Here's an old map from just before the SCOTUS decision to allow LGBT marriage map to care about:

[Drew Espinosa]

Ah... our time zones

[Celethiel]

So silly.

 

Everyone knows that Atlantis is now named Santorini!

 

Everyone knows no such thing! you can't pick and choose the parts of someone's story you don't want to hear to make the place fit where you want it!

I am a geography nut, so all these maps are making me swoon

[MrM]

Everyone knows no such thing! you can't pick and choose the parts of someone's story you don't want to hear to make the place fit where you want it!

I am a geography nut, so all these maps are making me swoon

 

 

I can so too! I'm pretty!

 

[Drew Espinosa]

 

[rustle]

 

reminds me of some guys I've known

 

no concept of relative size

[W_L]

reminds me of some guys I've known

 

no concept of relative size

 

Haha,

 

Wonder if the actual size of maps correlate to the size of....average male endowments

[Drew Espinosa]

reminds me of some guys I've known

 

no concept of relative size

Haha,

 

Wonder if the actual size of maps correlate to the size of....average male endowments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Sweden, ever the prude. 

 

Ever since I started making these comics people have suggested that I should make one where the landmass of the countries equals penis size. That just seemed a little too obvious for me, but then it was suggested that it should be the population compared to the landmass of the countries. I thought that would be funnier and make more sense because population is a “hidden” number. Just like you can’t tell penis size just by looking at the overall size of a guy, you can’t tell a country’s population.

 

In Scandinavia the numbers from 2000 look something like this:

Iceland - 272,000

Norway - 4,400,000

Finland - 5,171,000

Denmark - 5,330,000

Sweden - 8,861,000

 

Obviously Sweden is quite well equipped compared to the others.

Also, to be more fair, islands that are part of a country have the same size as said country. That of course means their private parts shrink when they become their own country *looks at Iceland*. :XD:

 

This should not be applied to other countries, especially those that already have a stereotype for their privates. Please think of the poor Canadians! D:

[Drew Espinosa]

Ah... our time zones

 

Well... the programmer gets very frustrated...