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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
Major Krunch 4 years ago
Notice the great similarity between Nebraska and central Oz - as in EMPTY!
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Xiaoxi Lou 5 years ago
Hey! Why isn't Melbourne on the Australian map!! ;) Just cos we're in lockdown....doesn't mean we're not there anymore!!! ;(
Christopher Seaton 5 years ago
Pity they didn't include the Australian state borders. You think Texas is big? Ha! Try Western Australia for size - draw a line from just to the left of where Regina is, straight south. Everything west of that line is the state of Western Australia.
Wendy Cayless 5 years ago
If Western Australia was a country, it would be the ninth biggest in the world.
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Caroline Farquhar 5 years ago
When I was a travel agent specializing in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, I used to use this example to show people how impossible it was to “take in Australia in a few days”. Kind of like explaining to an American why I didn’t drive to Vancouver for the Olympics when I lived in Toronto. 🙄
Some Cool Guy 5 years ago
From Perth, Western Australia it is 1440 Km (895 miles) to the nearest state border by road.
Megan Peniston-Bird 5 years ago
Cairns is only a regional town. Where’s Melbourne? Australia’s second biggest city.
Prism Dawn 5 years ago (edited)
The US and Europe are always grossly oversized in standard maps. It’s pretty messed up and really telling when it comes to matters of representation.
Bellatrix Lestrange 5 years ago
That's because when you put a globe onto a flat map it messes up the sizes of things. If you use a globe you can get a accurate comparison.
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Ani Archeron 5 years ago
And to think for camp I once took a bus from Sydney to Brisbane and back :D
This is Cutie Ringo Joy 4 years ago
it’s a country , it’s a country as long it has its own flag , national anthem and pledge.
This is Cutie Ringo Joy 4 years ago
I always thought australia to be a big country because of the animals
HalfFinnishedAustralian 4 years ago
Why do they show the American states , but not the Australian states and territories?
Judy Windham Saunders 4 years ago
Yeah, except Alaska and Hawaii aren't included, so I guess you meant the *Continguous* United States, right?
Trudie Anne 4 years ago
This is incorrect so I'm now terribly disappointed and don't trust the rest of the data. Australia is the 6th largest country - fact. This in not to scale! BS
Josh Wooler 4 years ago
It looks like it's a bit off it's actually 22% smaller. Which is still massive.
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FloridaMan 4 years ago
what's weird is yes its a continent but weirdly australia is in ocenia oceania has: new Zealand papua new guinea etc.
Peta Hurley-Hill 5 years ago
They forgot Melbourne>a city with a population second only to Sydney.
Robert Robi Z 5 years ago
If you mirrored Australia horizontally, they would be quite similar shape, too!
Frankie Guell 5 years ago
Puerto Rico is an Island, Australia is considered a Continent for a reason
Peta Hurley-Hill 5 years ago
we will be that as soon as with get rid of our conservative/right wing/pretend christian government at the next election and follow NZ's lead.
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John Chambers Wilson 5 years ago
Climatically, it would be better to see Australia inverted overlayed on North America, showing the cooler cities of Canberra and Sydney over Ontario, and the warmer cities of Darwin and Cairns near the Gulf of Mexico
Ron Romero 5 years ago
Australia population: ~25 million. California population: ~40 million. All US: ~330 million.
#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
#28
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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