“Daily Educational Maps”: 40 Interesting And Informative Maps That Might Change The Way You Look At The World Forever
InterviewDo 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.
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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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Tax billionaires out of existence, and while we're at it, transfer the excessive assets that they have into the hands of the workers
Tax wealth not income. Use the additional tax income to increase government programs. Free Healthcare, free college, better public transportation, better incentives for renewable energy...etc. I think that would work better.
Load More Replies...It must be nice to personally know him to know this
Load More Replies...If you don't like billionaires, stop buying their products and company stock.
It makes no sense to have that kind of money just to spend it on missions to Mars (I mean, come on now, for what?), when there's so many people who could benefit from a tiny fraction of that number right here on this planet. So many things can be done to help every single person here.
Comparing the wealth of a person, accumulated over a lifetime, compared to what a country makes in a year. Didn't pay attention during maths, did we?
Countries Elon Musk has contributed more to humanity than* fixed it for you 👌
I don't know what the answer is. I mean, it's his money. He worked for it. I kind of feel like, in a way, it's wrong to take it away from him. But on the other hand, I think there's something very, VERY wrong, when one man literally has more money than he could possibly spend in several LIFETIMES, while at the same time there are people all around him, in his own city even, who are starving and homeless. While there's barely any money to educate our kids. While sick people can't afford the medicine that will save their lives. While old people freeze to death, in their own homes, because they can't afford their heating bill. I bet Elon has completely forgotten what a bill even IS...
Is it time to admit that Elon is a bit musky? Let's be done with him and his ultra-rich peers instead of admiring them. Esp. since the Musk's made their fortune in apartheid S. Africa.
If a billionaire wanted they could raise a personal army of over a million soldiers and wipe out entire countries—something to think about.
Seriously, WHO in their right mind needs all that money? People with that kind of wealth could (and should) fund all the charities and research facilities and schools in the world. No one would ever do without clean water or a roof over their head. Cures could be found. Prescription drugs could be free. Diseases could be prevented. All education could be free. Crime rates could drop because no one would be hungry enough to steal. To the Musks and Bezoses of the world, I hope you're listening. For example, Putin and his oligarch buddies each own at least one superyacht worth $300,000 million dollars, yet 17 million Russians live in poverty. The US has 724 billionaires. China has 1133.
That's sad like really sad. One single man richer than multiple countries.
Once they contribute to the world like he has they can clap back 😂
Load More Replies...Seriously? Can you not think of any reason why concentrating so much wealth in the hands of one person could be a problem?
Load More Replies...The "not accectable" part goes to Elon, not the taxation. TAX THEIR ASSES.
Load More Replies...Conservatives trying to kiss billionaire a*s in… oh wait, here you are already. Sorry kid, no matter how much brown nosing you do, you’ll never be a million or billionaire.
Load More Replies...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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
because they have socialised health... the horror. next they'll say communism must be brought to usa. /s/
There is little but miles and miles of red dirt. Beautiful in its own way
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!
Hey, let's take a vote to show Russia who condemns their actions! That'll make them stop.
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.
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. 😢
So right. Thats why you can find peace outdside Athens and Thessaloniki. Think of the possibilities.
Mars used to have all this water billions of years ago before earth did
It actually is in the UK. A Bill, passed by the House of Lords on Apr 28, has received Royal Ascent formally acknowledging British Sign Language as an official language in the UK. Not surprising that something THAT recent isn't here though.
And the sad part is that 2.6 trillion is mostly three countries inside Africa.
If Poland didn't go and switch capital somewhere mid 18th century (Russians happen) it would be in orange
I love a good dose of weekly map posts - I don't care if they're inaccurate
Inacurate... There is Youtube in Namibia...We also have never had a female leader.
Isn't Namibia's current Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, female?
Load More Replies...I love a good dose of weekly map posts - I don't care if they're inaccurate
Inacurate... There is Youtube in Namibia...We also have never had a female leader.
Isn't Namibia's current Prime Minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, female?
Load More Replies...