Cartography & Map Projections
Explore the mathematical transformations used to represent a 3D globe on a 2D surface. Understand why all maps lie, how to identify distortion, and how to choose the right map for the job.
Core Concepts of Cartography
A map projection is a systematic transformation of the latitudes and longitudes of locations from the surface of a sphere into locations on a plane. The fundamental problem of cartography is that you cannot flatten a sphere without stretching or tearing it.
Imagine trying to peel an orange and lay the skin perfectly flat on a table. It will tear. If the peel were made of rubber and you stretched it to fill the gaps, the shape and size of the peel would be distorted. This is exactly what happens when making a map.
Interactive Learning Tools
Why 2D Maps Contain Distortion
The fundamental problem of cartography: you cannot perfectly flatten a 3D sphere onto a 2D plane.
The 3D Earth
The Earth is a roughly spherical object (an oblate spheroid). On a globe, all properties—shape, area, distance, and direction—are perfectly accurate.