ADVERTISEMENT

Do you remember the days of using physical maps on road trips? Dad's in the driver's seat yelling as mom's in the passenger seat frantically searching the map for the exit we need to take and- oh! We missed it already! Having apps like Google maps in the palm of our hands has made our lives so much easier (and road trips so much more pleasant). Within seconds, we can check how many miles there are between Texas and Lithuania and Taiwan. Although, I wouldn't recommend making that journey a road trip. 

Thanks to one popular Instagram account, maps on our phones can now teach us much more than just distance and directions. Map Central is an Instagram page with over 130k followers that “provides a full perspective of our world” through sharing daily educational maps. These graphics are no simple maps; they share facts about countries’ demographics, information about climate change, examine population shifts and trends, compare countries by size and population and much more. We’ve gathered some of our favorite maps from the page for you to enjoy below, as well as an interview with the creator of Map Central.

Then if you’re looking to learn even more after finishing this list, we’ve got the perfect Bored Panda piece for you to check out next right here.

We reached out to the creator of Map Central on Instagram, and they gave us a bit of background on the page. "I created my account in 2017 because I wanted to make a collection of maps I saw across the Internet and enjoyed. Eventually other people saw my page and enjoyed the content, and I grew an audience." We also asked them about some of their favorite parts of the page. "My favorite post type are carousels I do on geopolitical stories, like how the Gambia became a country and how World War II hasn't technically ended. It's incredible to learn and teach others about unknown stories in history regarding geopolitics. I want to create more long-form content in which I explain the context behind a map or story."

Next, they explained why maps are so great for making information accessible. "Maps are a visual representation of data that can be difficult to understand. With a map, anyone can understand important data about the world. Maps are both great to look at and easy to understand, and that's why they are so popular." Lastly, they added, "If you are looking to map makes of your own, Canva and MapChart are great resources to start." While I personally will leave the map-making to the professionals, I'm very thankful that they run this account and that I'm now able to learn so much about the world from easily digestible graphics.

ADVERTISEMENT

Learning facts and statistics can be pretty dry, but having visual aids in the form of bright maps is a great way to help retain information. Studies show that visual explanations yield greater benefits than relying solely on verbal explanations. Words are processed by our short term memory, which can only retain about seven bits of information, but images are directly processed by our long-term memory, according to eLearning Industry. In fact, about 65% of the population classifies themselves as “visual learners”. While all learning styles are beneficial to varying degrees, the general consensus is that images trump books, audio lessons and more.

Along with being easier to recall, visual information is also simpler to process. Images are processed in our brains 60,000 times faster than text, and 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. According to MIT News, our brains can even identify images after seeing them for as little as 13 milliseconds. It’s no wonder we love seeing these brightly colored, fascinating maps. Our brains are immediately stimulated and able to comprehend data much faster than if we read it in a book.

Not just any visual will do the trick, however. While captivating images such as the maps from Map Central are likely to catch our eyes, “boring” graphics will lead to a lack of motivation in learning the information presented. eLearning Industry’s website is careful to note that “the quality and relevance of visuals matters a lot”. Graphics to aid learning should simplify complex topics, be easy to digest visually and help readers “connect familiar materials with the unfamiliar”. The goal is to learn something new, so if an image is not serving that purpose, the material might as well be presented through another medium.

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
paulclarey avatar
Paul C.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A proud list to be on. Mr Putin, may you rot in hell.

ezekielrhymes1 avatar
censorshipsucks3 avatar
censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you notice anything *about* the grey countries--- like they're poor??????? wonder why then they aren't prepared to burn any bridges?

Load More Replies...
ohxrkqra avatar
Kira Okah
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, they acknowledge that Taiwan as a country independent of China! :P I know that China fuzzes at that, this is a note of "unexpected".

robert-thornburrow avatar
Robert T
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I suspect Greenland should also be in red, as it is a Danish territory. The rest just haven't publicly taken a stance yet!

levilandaulitewski avatar
Deux
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

By uNfRiEnDlY they mean caring about innocent Ukrainian lives?! *laughs in compassion*

queenkaioz2 avatar
Kaioz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Proud to be on this list as well 🇺🇲🇺🇦🇺🇲🇺🇦

stevendinowindfeld avatar
Steven Windfeld
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Since Greenland is a part of Denmark, it should have also been marked as red :)

makajhabanjjjak avatar
Makajha Banjjjak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So proud to be here 2x, from my country of origin and my country of residence

christospiperis avatar
Christos Piperis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You are wrong . Greece is very Russia Friendly , because of the Orthodoxy. Still Russia did nothing for us Greeks since the Greek Revolution of 1821 and way before.On the contrary they sabodaged everything we did. US and RUSSIA are only caring for their interests.

ohxrkqra avatar
Kira Okah
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Unfriendly Countries List this is based on includes the entire EU, Greece is part of that.

Load More Replies...
michaelguyler avatar
Michael Guyler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So most of the world population supports Russia at least tacitly. Tells you something does it not?

yourlifesucks avatar
ohxrkqra avatar
Kira Okah
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The list, from my looking it up, was based on places that put sanctions on Russia. So perhaps Israel and the Philippines did not.

Load More Replies...
rebeccasandbrand avatar
Brook
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AS A CANADIAN I AM OFFENDED THAT YOU THINK CANADA IS NOT FRIENDLY

farmer_marcie avatar
Marcie McGowan
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone needs to stop this madness. I can't believe that this war was allowed to continue

alanavoeks avatar
Alana Voeks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How much you wanna bet these are the only countries putin knows? Lol

mosheh_wolf avatar
Mosheh Wolf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a bit larger now. Also, Putin only really cares about Europe.

lisamurphy333 avatar
Lisa Murphy
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd say there are far more unfriendly countries since he invaded Ukraine this year, and NATO is growing!

dariuszm_d_ avatar
Dariusz M. D.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can see that my country, Poland is on the list. Cannot be more proud. Long live Ukraine.

bent_o_jensen avatar
Bent. O. Jensen
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Greenland should be red as it is part of Denmark and the USA airforce has a base there.

richg_black avatar
Rich Black
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Im not sure this accurate, If you review the UN vote to condemn russia.

charm1904 avatar
Charmwashere
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It bothers me that more of the world is not on this list. Such as absolutely none of S. America, Africa, or the rest of Asia besides Japan ( disturbed S. Korea is not listed) . I would think countries such as Ghana, Morocco, S. Africa, Guyana, Bolivia, Israel ( this one is hella suspicious why it isn't due to Israel mediation effort during this travesty ) , Jordan, Argentina , Taiwan, and a host of others are not considered. The only reason I can guess is not due to their Western affiliations but because Pootie Putin just doesn't see them as a threat.

samanthagaboury19 avatar
Shivani Ward
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kinda hard to believe America is on there after trump became best buddies with Putin.

simonmurray2002 avatar
Simon Murray
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Happy that Ireland is there but seeing as Denmark is red then show should Greenland

cshashank899 avatar
Shashank chauhan
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When American and west killed children and inocent in Afghan Iraq Africa than nothing happened but now white people are dying whole world is crying

devanlepage avatar
Devan LePage
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Canada can be friendly! As long as you don't get on our bad side.

michaelguyler avatar
Michael Guyler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So most of the worlds population supports the Russians invasion of Ukraine. Tells you something does it not?

lisahewes avatar
Lisa Hewes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like Ukraine should be on it, now, too, because godDAMN those people are badass!

j-sfoote avatar
James Foote
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This may be the first time us Canadians are on an unfriendly list.

randolph_croft avatar
Randolph Croft
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am proud but slightly confused that I now live in a 'red country'. So to speak.

alicewiedrick avatar
Chloe *Leah* Pheonix
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nearly my entire history is on here. European and Korean. And idgaf. Burn in hell.

sheri-wiebe avatar
h54nt1 avatar
Teresa Stabler
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Countries in Europe (not including UK) speak English as a second language. There are a couple countries in Africa that speak English and but they're pro-russia on this map.

Load More Replies...
029916 avatar
18 Spoons
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Russia:"Germany, you were supposed to destroy our enemies not join them! You were supposed to bring balance to the war not leave it in the trash!"

lennet avatar
Museo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't it surprising that, apart from the Western industrialized countries, hardly any country stands against Russia?

dianaptr avatar
Richard A Petro
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would advise everyone to remember Czar Alexander 2nd's comment; "Russia has two allies, its Army and its Navy!" And it seems Czar Vlad the First is quite willing to use them along with his Air Force with the results in Ukraine yet to be determined. As for the grey areas above, they seem to encompass all the countries the West exploited for hundreds of years; apparently Putin would like to take a crack at exploiting them also. Meanwhile, President Xi of China just watches and evaluates.

sonja-szabrotska avatar
anita_k_jonsdottir avatar
Anita Jonsdottir
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes we are on the list , why 🤷‍♀️. We don't even have army,m. Well the reason is; we put sanctions against them and USA and Europe transfer weapons through our airport to Ukraine. And we openly support Ukraine.

Load More Replies...
maliyiljoanna1013 avatar
mndm-synth avatar
Monday
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Poor countries can't afford to antagonize Putin, since they know the rich countries won't protect them.

Load More Replies...
d_wandz avatar
Wandumuzi Mathunjwa
Community Member
1 year ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Funny how most of the countries on Russia's "naughty" list are the worst war-mongering countries on the planet with a rep sheet longer than Putin's. The USA alone has no moral ground to stand in this one.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

One of the best parts of the Map Central page is how it allows people to better understand their place in this massive world. As humans, we tend to have a hard time conceptualizing what we cannot see. I mean, seeing is believing. So Map Central is a great way to bridge the gap between knowing you’re from a massive country or state to actually seeing on a map how many other countries could fit inside of yours. We can get so caught up in our own little worlds that we forget how vast the planet actually is. Did you know that the Mediterranean Sea could fit perfectly inside of Australia? I didn’t either, but knowing this now makes me feel like I have a better understanding of geography!  

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
christmas avatar
Chris Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where I am in the UK is about 30 mins from the coast and predictions have estimated that one day my village will be able to add 'by the sea' to its name.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Aside from the geography facts we can harness from Map Central, we can learn plenty of information through the demographics of other nations, or our own, as well. Gaining a better understanding of other cultures helps us feel connected to the world, minimize the spread of stereotypes, have more sympathy for global issues and enhance communication between nations. Do you ever go on business trips to other parts of the world? It’s great to have some knowledge about the culture you’re stepping into. Understanding a country's history provides some insight into why the people are the way they are. How common is alcohol consumption there? Has the nation ever had a female leader? These tiny tidbits of information are fun to learn and can be very beneficial when traveling. 

#12

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
ezekielrhymes1 avatar
JoyfulZebra
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tax billionaires out of existence, and while we're at it, transfer the excessive assets that they have into the hands of the workers

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Curiosity also has a bit of an inertia effect. Once we start learning, we want to continue finding out more and more. Following Map Central and finding out a tiny bit about the Earth every day can inspire followers to do more research. Maybe you’ll catch a travel bug from following the page. If this page inspires you to embark on a journey in your own life, you’re likely to experience some life-changing adventures. Cabinzero shared an article titled “15 Benefits Of Traveling And Why Travel Is Good For You”, and reading the title alone makes me want to pack my suitcase.     

ADVERTISEMENT

One reason Cabinzero notes for promoting travel is the improvement it can have on our communication and language skills. Learning Japanese is definitely more challenging when living in Missouri than it would be in Tokyo when the pressure to communicate is on and you’re surrounded by the language constantly. Learning other languages is a great exercise for our brains as well, and it gives us a new perspective to better understand our own language and culture. 

#18

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
mireetta avatar
Remi
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is YouTube actually still working in Russia tho? I'd be really surprised if that's the case

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Another great benefit of traveling is the boost in creativity and confidence we can experience. As comfortable as it is to stay at home, we need to be exposed to new stimuli to expand our creativity. Traveling also inevitably places us in situations we have never experienced before, sometimes requiring spontaneous decision making. Dealing with last minute train cancellations and figuring out how to communicate with locals who speak another language are just a couple examples of the infinite challenges one can expect when visiting a new place. But once these tasks have been completed successfully, travelers feel so much more confident in their abilities. Being in another country presents difficulties we don’t encounter at home, but it simultaneously allows for growth we could never experience in the comfort of our own cities.  

ADVERTISEMENT
#19

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
nikkisevven avatar
Nikki Sevven
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a good example of why our Senate is not representational. With only two Senators per state, the underpopulated areas get far more of a say than the highly populated areas.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda

Another benefit many experience after traveling abroad is an increase in tolerance and understanding of other cultures. Cabinzero’s CEO, Neil Varden, gave the example of his travels to India that opened up his mind and made him realize how fortunate he is. He noted one situation where he was hungry during a bus ride and a woman offered him some cookies, although she might not have had enough food for herself and her children that day. There is a notion in India that “Guest is God”, Varden explained, which led to many people showing him great generosity and hospitality.      

#24

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Next time you plan a trip, maybe you’ll choose your destination based on the information you learn on Map Central. If you’re looking for a mountainous country to visit, the best place to check out would be Bhutan, with 98.8% of the nation including mountains. Although if your destination doesn’t need to be the most mountainous nation, Tajikistan, Montenegro, Armenia, Switzerland and Nepal aren’t too far behind with plenty of gorgeous mountains to see. Maybe you’re a vegetarian looking for an easy time enjoying local cuisine. Have no fear visiting India then, Map Central reports that India has the most vegetarians in the world, with 38% of their total population avoiding meat. India may not have been at the top of my bucket list before, but now I’m dying to sample all of the veggie options the nation has to offer! 

#25

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
censorshipsucks3 avatar
censorshipsucks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

because they have socialised health... the horror. next they'll say communism must be brought to usa. /s/

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

In the sea of selfies and celebrities saturating Instagram, it’s nice to have a little break from the mundane to learn a thing or two while scrolling through our feeds. Map Central is an excellent place to start if you’re interested in geography, demographics or our world in general. Enjoy the rest of this fascinating list, then hop over to Instagram and give the page a follow if you’d like to see more. Don’t forget to upvote and comment on the posts you find most interesting, and let us know if you learned something today!

#28

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
arsenioalejo avatar
Arsenio Alejo
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hey, let's take a vote to show Russia who condemns their actions! That'll make them stop.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

See Also on Bored Panda
#32

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
thomasrudd avatar
Guinta
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Denmark isnt on there, but there is a episode where they go to Denmark.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
marehunt1987 avatar
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The plane that crashed in Pennsylvania was highjacked, then re-highjacked by the passengers who casted a vote upon the decision to try to gain back control. Sadly, in the process, all of the passengers passed, but they saved so may people lives.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
howdylee avatar
howdylee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

WAIT!!! Check out McMurdo Station in Antarctica!!! There is a google street view of it!! A guy had the camera in a backpack and he walked the street view, but still!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#37

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Add photo comments
POST
christmas avatar
Chris Jones
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not exactly a surprise - 2050 is when it is currently predicted the planet will hit the maximum population sustainable. Yet look at what we are doing to it now. 😢

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#40

Interesting-Educational-Maps-Mapcentral

mapcentral Report

Note: this post originally had 88 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.