Mercator Projection: Why Flat (2D) Map Of The World Is Wrong And ...

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Maps are two dimensional while the Earth is three dimensional, so all maps are innately inaccurate. The Mercator map, which is the most commonly used map in the world, distorts the relative sizes of countries near the poles, making them appear much larger than they actually are. This map also aggrandizes the northern hemisphere, making it appear larger than the southern hemisphere. There are other ways to represent the world that are more accurate, but the Mercator map is still used because it is convenient and familiar.

Yes, you may find this hard to believe, but all of our maps are wrong. No, Google Maps is not an exception to this rule. Maps have and will always be wrong. It’s just a part of human nature – or at least perception.

The thing is, maps are two-dimensional, while the Earth is three-dimensional. Our planet is an imperfect sphere, so flattening it out into a rectangular shape is impossible. What… you don’t believe me? Why don’t you see for yourself… Try pounding a completely intact orange peel into a flat rectangle.

Now, perhaps you understand. All maps are a lie, but they all lie about different parameters. Thus, the things that are chosen to be distorted in a map provides us with clear insight into human behavior.

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