Geo = Earth + Graphy = Drawing/Recording Geography Geo = Earth + Graphy = Drawing/Recording

Mercator Projection

What’s wrong with Mercator? The North is 18.9 million square miles. The South is 38.6 million square miles.

What’s wrong with Mercator? Greenland: 0.8 million sq. miles Africa: 11.6 million sq. miles

What’s wrong with Mercator? Greenland is 0.8 million square miles. China is 3.7 million square miles.

What’s wrong with Mercator? The former Soviet Union is 8.7 million square miles. Africa is 11.6 million square miles.

What’s wrong with Mercator? Europe is 3.8 million square miles. South America is 6.9 million square miles.

Robinson Projection

Peters Projection

Homolosine Projection

Dymaxion Projection

Dymaxion Projection

What other choices affect how we view the world?

Centering: Americas

Centering: Europe/Africa (aka Prime Meridian)

Centering: Asia/Pacific

Continents… Wait, what???

Map of the world divided into 7 regions equal in population

Official AP World Regions

Questions 1. What flaws can you find in the Mercator and Robinson projections? 2. Why is it difficult to use the more accurate projections? 3. What is the only truly accurate way of mapping the world? 4. What are some of the factors that decide how a map is designed? 5. Which projection would you use when trying to plan a trip? 6. Which projection would you use when trying figure out the relative sizes of land masses?