Mapping our World: maps index

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Mapping Our World

Introduction

Introductory exercises

Activity 1: Design your own planet

Activity 2: Whose World?

Activity 3: Looks familiar

Activity 4: Uses for maps

Activity 5: Which is bigger?

Activity 6: Which way is SE?

Maps

Lines of latitude and longitude

These lines enable you to follow directions, such as SE, by moving from one corner of a box to another. On some maps these will be straight lines, and on others latitude or longitude, or both, will curve.

On a Mercator map (M), which was designed to be accurate for directions, following a straight line at an angle of 45 degrees between S and E would actually be in a SE direction. On other maps, such as Peters, a line of 45 degrees between S and E would take you somewhere else. On maps such as Mollweide or Winkel the line SE would be a curve, because the lines of longitude are curved.

Key to world maps:

Other world map projections used in atlases:

Gall

This was designed to be a general purpose map of the world. The Modified Gall map is sometimes referred to as 'equal area'. This is incorrect: although the distortions are not as obvious as on Mercator, Canada, Greenland, and Russia are still too large.

Hammer Equal Area

North-east Asia is said to have been 'hammered' to fit this map, but overall it is not too badly distorted.

Interrupted map projections

These maps are designed to portray the shape of countries in the South more accurately. However, this is achieved by 'cutting up' and re-centering the map, which can make it difficult to use.

World Map Projections:


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