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30 Unusual Maps People Shared On This Group That Might Change Your Perspective On Things
Interview With Author
For many of us, cartography day in geography or history class meant a quick nap. With our eyes open, we’d dream of all the delicious stuff we were gonna eat after school, of music we’d play on the Walkman, of a message we received the other day from that cutie…
To bring back our long-lost excitement for hard pieces of data, aka maps, plans, and geographic drawings, we're gonna need to start from the very best of them. Luckily, there’s a whole online community on Reddit dedicated to the most unusual charts of geographic areas that took maps to a whole new level.
From mapping "October" in European languages to mapping an eagle’s track over a period of twenty years, these incredible examples will surely put the world into a completely new perspective.
Who knows, you may well unleash your inner cartographer and become among 1.1 million like-minded members of the maps subreddit. In that case, you may need some more cartographical goodness with 41 maps that portray lesser-known facts about America.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
An Image Of GPS Tracking Of Multiple Wolves In Six Different Packs Around Voyageurs National Park Shows How Much The Wolf Packs Avoid Each Other's Range
RELATED:
#2
To Increase Local Tourism, Lithuania Has Made A Map With Magnets That You Can Only Find In Corresponding Cities
#3
Occupied Bald Eagle Nests In Wisconsin. 1974 vs. 2019. Growth Credited To The Clean Water Act
To find out more about this amusing Reddit community by the name r/MapP**n, Bored Panda reached out to its creator Patrick McGranaghan, who started the subreddit in 2011 while living in Taiwan.
Patrick said he has always been a map geek: “I wanted people to share those maps so that they are easy to find and discuss.”
It turns out, he works as a land surveyor in Colorado and is a devoted member of several map societies across the nation, including the North American Cartographic Information Society, Charles Close Society for the Study of Ordnance Survey Maps, and Rocky Mountain Map Society, to name just a few.
#4
Tracking Of An Eagle Over A 20 Year Period
#5
When A Band Announces A World Tour
#6
Japan, How Big It Is In Reality?
Theodore Theodora 5 years ago
Okay, mind blown; it's literally twice as big as I'd imagined given typical maps. Thank you, person who made it!
The creator said that the title r/MapP**n followed the trend on Reddit at the time when “there were a lot of subreddits with a *-porn suffix.” He explained further: “This refers to pictures of innocuous things like nature, architecture, or engineering marvels in a beautiful way. It was not meant to be sexual. The internet at the time was a lot more relaxed and using that term was funny.”
“In the years since the culture on the internet has taken a much more puritan bias and some people don't like that name,” Patrick said.
However, he assured us that “the goal of the brand has not changed, though: it's a place to share and discuss beautiful maps.”
#7
The Earth Being Centered On Great Britain Is Arbitrary, So Here's A Map Centered On New Zealand
Jyri Hakola 5 years ago
To be honest, only the Centering of 0-meridian to britain is arbitary.. location of 0 latitude at the ecquator is quite natural selection.
#8
Cheese Map Of Europe
#9
The United States Of America: Alaskan Perspective
When it comes to submissions, they come in every form and style. “From historical maps showing ancient borders, to funny memes and transit maps. People also post imaginary maps of places that they create in their minds.”
In fact, every kind of map imaginable has been posted to this subreddit. Patrick said that linguistic maps are popular, as well as maps that re-imagine state and national borders. There are also maps of asteroids and maps of routes of famous explorers.
“One of my favorite interactions is when a map is posted of an obscure place and someone in the comments says they live there or has a story about that place.”
#10
50 Percent Of Canadians Live South Of The Red Line
#11
Each Section Has 10% Of The World's Population
#12
List Of Countries Mentioned Or Referred In The Bible
Nicola Roberts 5 years ago
Wow, I never knew this. Unlikely Jesus was fair skinned, blond and blue eyed....
Patrick concluded that “Maps are a way to visualize the world in a way that is easy to grasp. They are an aid in learning about new lands and faraway places. They help us find our way when we are lost.”
Especially in a time like now, “when the pandemic prevents us from traveling, maps are a way that we can travel without leaving our home,” the map enthusiast said.
#13
The Longest Possible Train Travel In The World
#14
Where Penguins Are Found Naturally In The World
#15
Size Comparison Between Australia And The United States
#16
3D Render Topographic Map Of Europe
Linus Nilsson 5 years ago
I didn't know there was an ice-wall between Finland and Russia!?! (Do I need to write 'Sarkasm'?)
#17
North America Animal Migration Routes
#18
A Europe–U.S. Superhighway Proposed By The Former President Of Russian Railways
#19
The Surface Of Mars: If, Like Earth, 71% Of Its Surface Area Was Covered With Water
#20
World's Smallest Country vs. Largest Building
#21
The Decline Of Our Native Tongue Over The Last 2 Centuries, I Find The Maps Rather Than The Reciting Of Statistics, Gives A Far Better Impression On The Overall Erosion Of One Of The Biggest Aspects Of Our Culture, Irish Itself
#22
Worlds CO Emissions
#23
Locations Johnny Cash Claims To Have Been In "Ive Been Everywhere"
#24
The Countries That Got Tea Via China Through The Silk Road (Land) Referred To It In Various Forms Of The Word "Cha". On The Other Hand, The Countries That Traded With China Via Sea - Through The Min Tan Port Called It In Different Forms Of "Te"
#25
Passenger Railway Network 2020
Pseudo Puppy 5 years ago
In the "australia" map.... that little pink line above the "L", is actually New Zealand - a totally separate country to "Australia" (although the Aussies & Kiwis do consider themselves like "siblings" ie we are staunch rivals within sports, but stick together in defense of eachother).
#26
What Pedestrians Look Like Across Europe
#27
The Topologist's Map Of The World - A Map Showing International Borders, And Nothing Else
Katherine Boag 5 years ago
Everything that touches in this map, touches in real life. That's all.
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Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
Take regular world map, pin down all places two borders meet (so "3 country points") or one border meets water. Islands you can simplify to a dot. Now straighten all detail out, because surface area does not matter; then arrange neatly/however. But here it went wrong a few times (e.g. Poland).
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Darius Zemenskas 5 years ago
Not correct. Lithuania touches Russia in real world. Here it is not shown like that.
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
Yeah, they forgot about the little part between Lithuania and Poland.
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Sanne H. 5 years ago
If exclaves would not be ignored, it would be a more complicated, but also an even more weird and interesting map. A.o. Russia would also share a border with Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) and The Netherlands and France would share a border too (Sint-Maarten/Saint-Martin)
Léa Haupaix 4 years ago
France should have borders with Brazil and Suriname
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Xavier Accorsi 4 years ago
The longest France border with an other country is the one between Guyana and Brazil.
Agnaldo Chagas Costa 5 years ago (edited)
I AM SORRY BUT PARAGUAY THANKS GOD HAS NO BORDER TO CHILE
Kathryn Evans 4 years ago
Cool! Took me a minute, but looking at the Americas helped me to figure it out.
Leonardo Esteban Reyes Valenzuela 4 years ago
Correction: Chile has no common borders with Paraguay (Chilean here)
Lindy Mac 4 years ago
I can't find Tibet on here..it is a neighbor of India, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar
Marilyn Ransberry 4 years ago
So why is Canada ( 2nd largest country ) so small and Panama , Costa Rica, larger? I love maps but don’t get this.
Olive Stirk 4 years ago
omg 'the world is flat'= STUPID. THOSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND SCIENCE, SCIENCE, AND REALITY!
Živilė Šmitaitė 5 years ago
Lithuania should be next to Latvia and Russia(Kaliningrad is jammed between Lithuania and Poland makes border us with Russia...)
Miomirko Buhtlić 5 years ago
Croatia and Montenegro share a border. A small one, but it's there.
Telma Frege 5 years ago
Wrong. Example: Bolivia also shares a big border with Argentina, and on this "map", it's separated by Paraguay.
Sent From The Slytherin House 5 years ago
I didn't know that Pakistan touched China! Am I stupid?
Retorter A 5 years ago
Yes! Wtf?! I like this map, but is it showing some odd political associations, too, like expats and consulate? That is the only way this and some other borders it got wrong could be correct...
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Cecilia Ramallo 5 years ago
I can see at least one mistake, Chile doesn't have a border with Paraguay...
Yvonne Blau 5 years ago
I'm too lazy to look up what "topologist" means... so I'll pass on this one :D
onivdsrapowijap 4 years ago
Scandinavia is three countries: Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
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Merideth Nepstad 5 years ago
It correctly reflects the fact that Hawaii is not a country and has no international borders. It correctly reflects Alaska's border with Canada.
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These Two Areas Of Africa Have Roughly Equal Populations
#29
Roads Either Side Of The Border: Finland vs. Russia
#30
Syria Before And After Civil War
#31
The Surprising Range Of Flamingos
#32
My Teacher Was Excited For Our WWI Unit
#33
World With 1000m Sea Level Drop
#34
A Map Of The World But It’s Just The Time Zones
#35
The History Of Accuracy In World Maps
#36
North American Cryptids
#37
How The Antarctic Looks Beneath The Ice
#38
All The Nations That Have To Be Combined To Be Equal To Brazils Annual Homicides
Nicola Roberts 5 years ago
Staggering. I appreciate this done for affect, but I would be interested in Mexico's figures.
#39
How Much Snow Does It Usually Take To Cancel Schools?
#40
Variations Of The Name John
ADHORTATOR 5 years ago (edited)
In German ist would be Johann/ Johannes first, Jan and Hans are shorter versions
#41
When Visiting Someone: Red - Keep Shoes On, Green - Take Shoes Off
#42
Brazil's Northernmost Point Is Closer To Every Country In The Americas Than To Brazil's Southernmost Point
#43
I Recorded The Last Two Months As A Pizza Delivery Guy (On Bike)
#44
Turkey , Borders 7 Countries With 7 Different Alphabets
#45
‘October’ In European Languages
#46
There And Back Again
#47
The Japanese Flag But The Two Colors Have The Same Population
#48
Map Of Venus If It Has As Much Water As Earth
#49
Percentage Of People Willing To Fight For Their Country
#50
New Take On The Concept Of A World Metro
#51
Coats Of Arms Of European Countries
#52
World’s 25 Largest Lakes Side By Side
Rainbow Panda 5 years ago
But Caspian Sea is a sea. 🌊 (It’s a joke for those who are gonna complain in the reply section)
#53
How I, A Brit, See The United States (Sorry If It Offends Anyone)
Katy McMouse 5 years ago
You only call New England "small and confusing" because you are still wondering how you lost it (no offense, just joking! Seriously).
#54
You Can Fit The Entirety Of Poland Into Texas And Still Be Able To Drive Around It
#55
How To Say "Thank You" In Europe
IlovemydogShilo 5 years ago
Thank you in Irish is Go Raibh Maith Agat ( Pronounced Go Ro My Aggat. Thank you in Welsh is Diolch (pronounced Diolsh).
#56
How To Become President With 22% Of The Vote
If you would get 50.1% of the vote of each red-coloured state, 22% of the population of the country, you would become president, even if 78% of the country voted for another person, this is assuming that 49.9% of people in the the red-coloured states voted for the blue party, and 100% of the people in the blue-coloured states voted for the blue party.
NOTE: The colours dont mean anything
#57
Comparing The Population Of The Dakotas And Manhattan
#58
Paper Sizes World Map
#59
Map Of Almost All Countries And Their Respective Camo Patterns
#60
4 Years Of Trucking, Each Dot Is Somewhere He Spent >1 Hour
#61
Position Of The North Magnetic Pole Since 1590
#62
What Motorcycles Look Like Across Europe (Based On The Prohibitory Road Sign)
MrTree1779 5 years ago
Span, Italy, and Romania apparently don't have Motorcycles. They have Tron Light Cycles!
#63
Olympus Mons Compared To France
#64
British Columbia Split Into 3 Areas Of Equal Population
MrTree1779 5 years ago
They should rename the Province to "Not Vancouver", then make Vancouver a City State.
#65
Europe Number Plates
#66
Hundred Largest Islands Of The World
#67
Frances Longest Border Is Shared With Brazil!
#68
The Russian Flag But The Two Colors Have The Same Population
#69
90 Minute Public Transit Commuter Zone For London vs. San Francisco
#70
Usage Of 'Dang' In The United States
#71
The Nearest Country To Everywhere In The US
#72
The Nearest Country To You, When In Russia
Aragorn II Elessar 5 years ago
@I’m not even going to try to write that out, as it would give me an aneurysm, it is, in fact, the nearest country to you when in Russia
#73
Amount Of Tanks Per 100 000 People
#74
Average 'First Leaf' Appearance In The Contiguous U.S.
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
I want to live somewhere where I have to where a light jacket in summer and I'm snowed in during winter. I'm tired of sweating mid October.
#75
The Italian Flag, But Every Colour Has The Same Population
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What do you think ?
Ashris Choudhury 5 years ago
Hello :) #24 is made by us at https://fb.com/indiainpixels - as the watermark says. Could you please source us instead? Thank you
MariaLuise Gutmann 5 years ago
Nearly all parts of knowledge are mixed like a kaleidoskop -fantastic
Marta Kęska 5 years ago (edited)
One of the most interesting things I've recently found on Bored Panda:) Love it:)
Ashris Choudhury 5 years ago
Hello :) #24 is made by us at https://fb.com/indiainpixels - as the watermark says. Could you please source us instead? Thank you
MariaLuise Gutmann 5 years ago
Nearly all parts of knowledge are mixed like a kaleidoskop -fantastic
Marta Kęska 5 years ago (edited)
One of the most interesting things I've recently found on Bored Panda:) Love it:)
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