World map

A map depicting all or most of Earth’s surface, often emphasizing political boundaries, physical features, or both. Because Earth is spherical, every flat world map distorts distance, area, shape, or direction.

Map projection: A mathematical method for representing locations on a curved surface on a flat map. Every flat world map depends on a projection that trades off geographic properties.
Latitude: The angular distance of a location north or south of the equator. World maps use latitude lines to locate places and show their relation to the equator.
Hereford Mappa Mundi: A large medieval English world map made around 1300, depicting Christian history and geography. It shows how a world map could organize sacred history rather than prioritize measured geography.
Thematic map: A map designed to show the geographic distribution of a particular subject or variable. World maps often use thematic layers to compare phenomena such as climate, population, or income.
Cartographic generalization: The selection and simplification of geographic detail to make maps legible at a given scale. A world map must omit or simplify features that cannot be shown at global scale.
Mercator projection: A cylindrical map projection that preserves local angles and represents constant compass bearings as straight lines. Its familiar world-map form enlarges regions toward the poles while aiding navigation.
Longitude: The angular distance of a location east or west of a reference meridian. Longitude lines provide the second coordinate needed to place locations on a world map.
Cantino planisphere: A Portuguese world map smuggled to Italy in 1502, recording early European oceanic exploration. Its depiction of newly encountered lands captures a moment when European world maps were rapidly changing.
Choropleth map: A thematic map that uses color or shading to represent data values within geographic areas. It is a common way to portray country-level statistics on a world map.
Map bias: Systematic distortion in maps arising from choices about data, design, projection, or purpose. Projection and labeling choices can influence how regions and political claims appear.

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