30 Informative Maps People Shared On This Group That Might Change Your Perspective On Things (New Pics)
InterviewWe can’t stop feasting our eyes on gorgeous and interesting maps, and we know that some of you Pandas can’t either. That’s why we’ve put together another list of the coolest content to come from this subreddit that has a dedicated community of nearly 1.4 million fans.
And while we can’t mention the full name of the subreddit (the internet’s gotten a lot stricter in recent years when it comes to certain words! Gosh darn you, internet censorship!), we can tell you all about the project that was started up way back in 2011 by map lover Patrick McGranaghan. What started out as a labor of love has since grown into a dedicated niche for map geeks the world over.
Patrick, the founder of the subreddit dedicated to maps told Bored Panda about how we can improve our spatial awareness and navigational skills. "The older I get, the more I realize that spatial awareness just comes naturally to some people, and for others, it's a struggle," he said, highlighting that practice and repetition are key to honing this skill.
However, just like spell check can make our grammar skills go numb, so can GPS and easily accessible digital maps harm our ability to orient ourselves. "In a way, reliance on Google Maps has made us dumber. We let the navigation app do all the work for us and don't engage with making the decisions," Patrick said. Be sure to read on for the rest of our latest interview with the subreddit's founder, Patrick, below.
In the mood for some more amazing maps? We know you are! When you’re done upvoting your fave maps in this list, check out Bored Panda’s previous posts about the cartography-loving community here, here, and here.
More info: Reddit | Twitter | Tumblr
This post may include affiliate links.
Oklahoma Man Hole Covers Have A City Map On, With A Blue Dot To Show Where You Are
Map Of Regional Rug Patterns Of Iran
Animals Of The World Map
"If you live in a place with a tall hill or some viewpoint, go up there some time and look around. Try to identify as many landmarks as you can. Notice where they are in relation to each other. Look for new landmarks that you've never noticed before and keep them in mind as you navigate your home town. If there are rivers or other features that cause chokepoints on bridges or highways, memorize all the bridges and where they go. In this way, you'll know the layout of your city and how to get around," Patrick gave us some awesome and practical advice on how to improve our navigation skills.
World Map Mural
Someone Joked That Instead Of Google Earth I Should Make Doodle Earth. I Liked The Idea So I Gave It A Shot
United States Elevation Map
Bored Panda also had a chat with Patrick about the current Covid-19 situation worldwide. Vaccines are being rolled out, plenty of map-lovers would love to visit the places they've been staring at on their maps for a long time, but is it safe to travel yet? Patrick was very upfront that you have to trust your local medical and scientific experts in these matters.
"I think we all have to take precautions, get vaccinated, and avoid risky behaviors. That said, I think we need to remember that we're fighting to eradicate this disease and get back to a normal state of affairs. I really miss the freedom of travel. We're losing years of potential happiness to the lockdowns and at some point, we need to open up. Those are issues above my pay grade though and I hope it's sooner rather than later," he shared his take on the current climate.
My Great Grandpa Drew This Map Of Africa In The 1910’s
Europe In The Style Of Super Mario
Since You All Liked My Great Grandpa’s Drawing Of Africa At Age 12, Here’s One He Did Of Asia (Ca. 1910’s)
There are plenty of people out there who feel like everything's been mapped and Patrick's heard this response plenty of times when he's told then that he's a land surveyor and that he makes maps for a living. "People say, 'Hasn't everything been mapped?' The world is constantly changing and accurate spatial data is a fleeting thing. Google Maps certainly gives the impression that everything is mapped, but there is selection and generalization in their data," Patrick pointed out that there's a constant need to map and remap the world.
"Infrastructure is a key thing that we all rely on and don't realize it. The electricity to turn on your lights, the fiber that carries this message, the water that you drink. All those things are traveling to you above and below ground. Construction is constantly happening along this route. Knowing where to safely build is critical."
He continued: "There are other themes that have spatial data too. Municipalities pass zoning and other restrictions all the time. Cities like London have an umbrella of rules about the preservation of old buildings, view-lines, noise nuisances, and other regulations. Making accurate maps is a constant struggle that is going to stay with us for a long time. As more things get built, knowing where these are located is important. Maintain the world's databases of spatial information is the task of the modern map-maker."
Abstract World Map
A Map Of All Of The World's Roads
Countries That Recognises The Uyghur Genocide As Of February 26, 2021
During my previous chat with the founder of the subreddit, Patrick, he told me all about what sparked his passion for maps and how amateur cartographers can learn to create better maps. For Patrick, his love of maps started very early on in his life, all thanks to his father.
“I developed my passion for maps very early. My family traveled and moved around a lot. My dad taught me how to read maps and I would help him navigate. I used to flip through our Rand McNally atlas to pass hours traveling across the countryside,” he shared earlier with Bored Panda.
Some Alternate Maps Of Down Under
Map Of Most Photographed Places In The World
In Australia you are killed before you have the chance to take a photo.
The Iberian Peninsula At Night By Nasa
“Maps are invitations to explore and visit new places. They give security in the knowledge that there's a way to get to your destination. If all else fails, a map will be your guide," Patrick opened up about the romantic side of his passion for all things related to cartography.
An Artists' Impression Of The Roman Port City Of Londinium, Established Between 47-50 Ad
World Map Resized According To Population
As a Canadian, that map is pretty accurate to where most of us already live anyway.... the rest is (more or less) vacant, minus some sporadic beautiful towns in the territories.
The Roman Empire vs. The Mongol Empire At Their Peaks
He actually came up with the idea to start the subreddit way back in 2011. At the time, he was living in a small flat in Taipei, in Taiwan. “I knew that I had a good idea and it felt almost electric. Like a fork in the road and your destiny is changing. When I moved back to the states I was able to find a career making maps (as a land surveyor) and I am grateful every day that I can do something that I love,” he shared how his excitement for the project grew from a single powerful idea that simply captivated him.
The Island Of Sardinia As Seen From The International Space Station
Most Popular Lastnames In Europe
Place Names That Contain The Word 'Peak', 'Mountain', 'Ridge', 'Plain' And 'Field' In The United States
Patrick was very friendly in sharing some tips and tricks on how we can all make our maps look better. For instance, he drew attention to the fact that plenty of amateurs have great ideas, are overflowing with creativity, but their execution needs a bit of work. That way, the maps can end up looking gorgeous and less “hasty and skeletal.”
"It is not that they are bad, it's just that they don't know that they can make their maps so much better. I'm talking about things like fonts and information boxes, detail and vicinity maps, adding gradients to water features, thoughtful color choices, shadows behind place markers. The subtleties are what make maps exquisite," the founder of the subreddit explained.
La Plata.. Buenas Aires.. Argentina
Every Roman Settlement, And Nothing Else
Ancient Lakes Of The Sahara
"The best way to learn how to do these things is to look at lots of maps and see how other cartographers solve these problems. Imitate the masters. Read a few books on cartography and design. Some of the books that influenced me are 'Info We Trust' by RJ Andrews, 'Cartography' by Kenneth Field, and 'Things Maps Don't Tell Us' by Armin Lobeck. If you can integrate the ideas in these books you'll be a league above the average amateur cartographer."
Earlier, Patrick shared that he plans to start traveling again once the Covid-19 pandemic dies down a bit. On his bucket list is a trip to the Baltics, specifically, to the Soviet map store in Latvia.
In A Straight Line You Can Go From Belguim To France 11 Times
In Which State You Can Find The Highest Percentage Of People With Ancestry From Every European Country?
The British Empire At It's Territorial Peak
Meanwhile, keep an eye out for the subreddit’s upcoming 10th birthday. The community will be celebrating the anniversary on its founding day, May 21. We can’t wait for the big day!
Be sure to give the subreddit a follow to stay up to date with the community’s latest posts, dear Pandas. And we also can’t wait to hear which of the maps featured here were your favorite and why. Got any amateur maps to share with us? Post them in the comment section for everyone else to see.
Hand-Drawn Map Of The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth In 1618, By Me
Oldest Still Open Universities In Europe (The Word University Is Omitted On The Map)
Belgium: not correct. Catholic university of Louvain (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) founded in 1425. Ranking 45 worldwide!
People Employed In Science And Technology In Europe
Un Member Country That Does Not Recognise China
Nobody Lives Here - Norway: Green Blocks Of 25km2 Where Nobody Lives
Parliament Seating Arrangements
Geological Map Of North America
Looks awesome, I am sure it took quite some time and dedication to complete.
Language Map Of China
When Did Interracial Marriage Become Legal In Each U.s State?
Terminology Of The British And Irish Isles
Central Amsterdam In 3D, With Buildings Coloured By Age
If You Connect The Easternmost Point With The Westernmost Point And The Northernmost With The Southernmost In Czechia, Prague Lies Almost Perfectly At The Intersection
The Longest Distance You Can Travel Between Two Points In Straight Line Without Crossing Any Ocean Or Any Major Water Bodies
Places Where Johnny Cash Went In The Song "I've Been Everywhere"
The Solar Systems Solid Surfaces Stitched Together
9 Ways To Divide Kazakhstan
So the laidback people are the ones doing bride kidnappings, according to this?!
I Drove Across The USA Visiting A Sawmill In Every State And Made A Map Of Local Woods!
Huge Scale Model Of The Port Of Montreal At The Port Hq
Map Of The World's Subdivisions That Satisfies The Four Color Theorem
How Europe Is Classified By United Nations
Average Temperature By Countries
This will tie in very closely with skin tones of people, which shows why we are the way we are. That is all that skin tones tell us. #endracism
A Japanese Map Of European Stereotypes, 1932
Number Of Turists Per Capita Of Every European Country
Literacy Rate By Age Group Map
Writing Direction By Countries
Singapore vs. Mongolia
1000 Years Of National Borders In Europe, Overlaid On One Map
How Many People In The Eu Use Bicycles As Their Main Mode Of Transport?
Iceland In The Style Of Super Mario World
1815 United States And Mexico
Mediterranean Sea Overlaid Onto The Us
Capitol Riot: Which States Have Made The Most Arrests?
Map Of Traditional Naming Conventions In Eurasia
The United States Redrawn As Fifty States With Equal Population, 2010 Census
Map Of European Heads Of States (Presidents, Kings, Ect.) In January 1930, This Time Also Including Governors Of Colonies. Yes, King Michael Of Romania Was Only 9 At This Point
Maps Of The Netherlands Between The 1st Century Ad (Left) And 10th Century Ad (Right) Showing The Effect Of The Constantly Sinking Coastline
If 100 People Lived In The Eu, Where Would They Live?
All Men's Olympic Gold Medal Winners Since 2000 In Water-Polo Were Born In This Area
Gender In European Languages
Average Elevation Above Sea Level Of European Countries
Average elevation is the worst possible way to show the topography of the different countries, as geology doesn't care about borders. It would be better to show a topographic or bathymetric map of Europe.
Someone Told Me To Post My Cross Stitched Map Here
Huh, someone told me to look for a cross stitched map here. I think we're being set up.
‘March’ In European Languages
Made A Shaded Relief Map Of Italy
I recently saw a video of drones flying around the Italian Alps and holy moly that was awe-inspiring.
European Countries By Most Produced Agricultural Product By Value
Spain: more pork than olive oil? Sure? I can´t believe it!
Population Density Of The Northeast Megalopolis, Home To 56 Million People
Birthplaces Of The 100 Fastest 1500m Runners Of All Time
Where Each State's Largest Immigrant Population Was Born, 2010 vs. 1910
Floor Plan Of The World - Room Size According To Population
Earth In 250 Million Years With Current Borders
Might make social distancing a bit difficult. Mind you, having Brazil next to Antarctica probably isn't a bad idea.
Brazil Had Straight Borders In 1534
An Example Of World Exploration By Non-Europeans
Isochronic Map Of Travel Times Between Paris And The Main Cities Of France In 1700s (Map Made In 1898)
Light Pollution In North Korea vs. South Korea
Average Flag Color By Latitude
Japanese Pictorial Map Of The World From 1933
The Name For 'Germany' In European Languages
What Canadians Call A Sweater With A Hood
From Alberta - where they're called "Kangaroo jackets", because of the front pocket.
Interconnected Power Grids
The Topography Of Sweden
Sweden has a bigger surface area than Germany so it's really a giant country (in European standards) but Germany has about 8 times as many people, so Sweden is really, really empty. Because how long it is, driving from south to north is about as long as from Los Angeles to Seattle. That ride would take you from coastlands, through plains and moorlands, decidous forests, mix forests, pine forests, highlands, pine forests, a lot fo pine forests, did I mention pine forests, arctic moorlands, arctic mountain ranges and finally arctic tundra.
Map Of What Would Become Paris In 508
Relief Map Of India
Second Largest Ethnicity In Each European Country
Belgium: not correct at all: The largest foreign nationality group are the Dutch. At the beginning of 2020, this involved almost 144,000 people, which corresponds to 23% of the total number of foreigners. This is followed by the Romanians, Poles, Moroccans, Bulgarians, Italians, Spaniards and French. The Turks and Portuguese complete the top 10.
No Statistics, Just Coffee!
Fasting Hours For Muslims During The Month Of Ramadan
Most Common Car Brand In Each County In Europe
The Strait Of Gibraltar (Stylized Multispectral Imagery)
If 100 People Lived In The UK, Where Would They Live?
Here's A Hand-Drawn Map Of The Byzantine Empire I Made A Few Years Ago
Current Phone Codes Of The World
Distribution Of Jewish Americans In 2020
Countries With The Highest Percentage Of Their Total Population Over The Age Of 100
Mexico City Engulfing Lake Texcoco , From 16th Century To 2000
41-State Mexico (If It Recovers Its Former Territories)
% Of Households Who Paid A Bribe When Accessing Basic Services - Transparency International
A Map Of My Family’s Escape Route From Crimean Tatar Genocide And Where They Lived
What Countries In The Americas Call Their Main First-Level Subdivisions
A Map Of Google Street View Accessibility Across Europe
Suicide Rate Per 100,000 People
Malta vs. Iceland
Malta is so weird. Half the size of my hometown and the population difference is so huge. We only have around 14k people living here. Sure, I've lived in bigger cities too, but it's just hard to imagine so many people in such a small area :D
Newer Italian Id Cards Have A Tiny Holographic Relief Map Of Italy
A World Map Centered On Argentina
The World Split Into 10,000 Equally Populated Regions
Europe In 1914, Just Before Ww1 Began
Early Islamic Expansion
The Majority Of State Names Have Native American Origins
Annual Tea Consumption
Ottoman Empire 1587 - Murad III (Labeled)
Tour De France Without Leaving Paris
I Intend To Draw All States And Regions With One Line And I Recently Finished South Carolina
I may have permanently damaged my eyes searching for the start and end points.
Most Common Destination Of Emigrants In Europe
If 100 People Lived In The Arab League, Where Would They Live?
Here I Present To You The Worst Map Projection Ever: The Hotine Oblique Projection
Percentage Of People Living In Apartments In Europe
The Topography Of Kyrgyzstan
The Pacific 'Ring Of Fire'
Road Distances Order In Europe
I didn't realise this was the case but nearest to furthest makes a lot more sense to me...
The Flags Of Every U.S. State Made Out Of Their County Lines
OOF my states(south carolina) looks almost nothing as the flag lol the tree
Morocco And The South Of Iberian Peninsula By Nasa
The Trade Routes Between China, India And Rome Around Year 100
A French Map Showing Europe Compared To The Colonies Of Portugal
This is not a French map, this is a Portuguese map printed in Lisbon and meant to serve as a mean of propaganda for the Estado Novo dictatorship. The map exists in French and in English and this appears to be the French version. It has some flaws (Lithuania being labelled as East Prussia, for example) and the French is not perfect. And, of course, this is propaganda.
Religion Map Of Germany
Leading Import Source Of Africa
We stole everything from them first, screwed entire countries and now we are selling them subventioned products and screwing their economies
2020 European Union Flag Map
The Topography Of Bangladesh
Oldest Companies Around The World That Are Still In Business
Actual Eez vs. Turkish Style Eez — Case Study: If Applied The Turkish Logic, The Eez (Exclusive Economic Zone) Of The USA Would Include Large Areas Of The Pacific Ocean, Contrary To International Law
My Covid Project: Travel As Many Roads As I Can In Minnesota
Countries That Dont Recognize Croatia
Syrian Civil War Map, February 2021
North America In 1830
The Republic Of Texas, A Real Country That Lasted 10 Years
USA Shaded Relief Map
What Would Happen If The Mouth Of The Congo River Were Dammed
Mapping The Winter Storm’s Impact: Nytimes
Most Googled Countries By Us State (Except The Us Itself)
The 2021 USPS Delivery Regions
Motorway Deaths Per Billion Vehicle Kilometers, 2018
American Territorial Acquisitions Sorted By President
Where Fictional Characters Are From In The U.S.
Purchased Territories Of The United States
If You Draw "Straight" Lines Between The Northern And Southern Most Points In The Contiguous Us Along With The Eastern And Western Most Points The Two Lines Never Intersect
High Resolution Satellite Map Of Tunisia
Value Of Private Land In The Contiguous United States
What Do You Call The Night Before Halloween?
West German School Map Of The Soviet Union (1961)
Satelitte Map Of The Island From The TV Show "Lost"
Braille Map Of Southern Us
Topography Of Texas
The Cyprus Dispute
The Italy Referendum On Becoming A Republic Versus A Monarchy
The Bay Area, California (Stylized Multispectral Imagery)
Map Of Italy In The Style Of Mario World
I Made A Minimalist Map Of USA Based On The Colors Of Google Satellite Images
This is the stuff why i initially started visiting this site...Nowadays it is mostly woke things
These are the kinds of posts I'd love to see more of although hopefully with a bit more emphasis on Asia and Africa.
Interesting perspectives... really enjoy learning new things and seeing different points of view/reference.
This is the stuff why i initially started visiting this site...Nowadays it is mostly woke things
These are the kinds of posts I'd love to see more of although hopefully with a bit more emphasis on Asia and Africa.
Interesting perspectives... really enjoy learning new things and seeing different points of view/reference.