30 Unusual Maps That Might Change How You See The World, As Shared In This Online Group (New Pics)
InterviewThe map might not be the territory, but gosh darn it both aren't fascinating to look at! We’re pretty big fans of maps and we can’t wait to set our eyes on even more unusual and peculiar ones in order to expand our minds and feed our imaginations which are hungry for aesthetic designs. Luckily for us, there are tons of like-minded internet users who are nearly bursting with their love of maps.
This subreddit about maps has nearly 1.5 million members and probably has more creativity than I’ve personally seen anywhere else on Reddit so far. Even though we can’t mention the subreddit’s full name because we'll get censored, the community is truly friendly and has stood the test of time since May 2011. And the person to thank is land surveyor Patrick McGranaghan, the founder of the entire project, whose passion for maps is beyond measure and keeps the online group together.
Patrick and I had a wholesome chat about how to get ourselves moving outside our comfort zones and on adventures, what maps he's recently been working on, as well as the ins and outs of moderating the subreddit.
"I've noticed, especially as I've gotten older, that you only have so much time on this planet and every day that is wasted is a day that you'll never get back. If you want to get out and explore the world you just have to do it. Some adventures will cost time and resources, but the real question I ask myself is can I afford not to do some goal I have my heart set on. There are so many opportunities in this world that it may be hard to choose, but if you wait too long those opportunities will be gone forever," he told Bored Panda to seize the day and really start living.
Bored Panda has featured the subreddit extensively in our previous articles. When you’re done upvoting and commenting on your fave maps in this list, keep in mind that there’s a whole land of adventure waiting for you in these earlier posts right here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
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This Is A LEGO World Map I Designed! I Spent Many Hours Staring At Google Earth And Topological Maps To Make This
Map Of Africa's Borders If Divided By Languages and Ethnicities
Hello! I Was Told You Would Enjoy This- Took Me 3 Years!
I was interested to hear about Patrick's recent cartography projects as well. He told me that recently he's been focusing on pixel maps which are bound to get some of you Pandas nostalgic. "This spring, I was making a lot of pixel maps that looked like old video game graphics. I picked some exotic places like Botswana and Mongolia to make these maps," he shared with Bored Panda.
"I think a great way to learn about an exotic place is to make a map of it and really give some hours and care into making the map look as good as possible. You really get a connection for a place as you're putting labels on and making decisions about what to include and where to lay everything out."
World Map Of Borders
Hello! I Cross Stitch Earth Science Maps And Have Been Told They Belong Here. Great Lakes Bathymetry Is My Favorite So Far
How A Coastline 100 Million Years Ago Influences Modern Election Results In Alabama
Now I want to know what caused the sediments to be laid down in this pattern to start with. We need to go back further.
As for moderating the subreddit, which continues growing, it's always been about finding the right balance. Patrick also told me that moderating things, just like doing anything in life, means that there will always be someone who's unhappy with your decisions.
"Moderating is always a delicate balance. It is impossible to please everybody. If you are too laissez-faire you get a lot of low effort and ugly submissions and the users complain. If you are too strict, then you risk alienating those who supply the content for the sub. I try to find a balance between these two extremes. Overall, I'm satisfied with the moderating and I don't foresee any changes in the immediate future," he said.
As for the future? Patrick's finally traveling to Europe again and plans to have a grand old time in Italy soon.
I Am Working On A Picture Book With Each State Drawn With One Line. I Finished My 7th State Last Night
Does anyone else find it easier to read the word whilst actively scrolling?
Hand Drawn Map Of China And Neighboring Countries With Placenames In Mandarin (I Drew It As An Exercise To Memorise All The Provinces)
Antarctica Without Ice, U Don't See That A Lot
Previously, I had a couple of in-depth chats with Patrick, the founder of the subreddit, about the project, learning to navigate better, and the state of travel during the pandemic. In the decade since its founding, the subreddit has blossomed into a welcoming niche for cartographers—professional and amateur alike—all over the globe. Everyone’s welcome, so long as they stick to the rules and stay polite. Patrick developed his love for maps very early in his childhood as his family traveled and moved a lot.
"The older I get, the more I realize that spatial awareness just comes naturally to some people, and for others, it's a struggle," Patrick pointed out to Bored Panda that just like with any other skill, getting good at navigating requires patience, dedication, and repetition.
“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," he said.
Are You Closer To Georgia, Or To Georgia?
Mythical Beasts Of The United States Of America
The Topography Of The Roman Empire, Ad 117
"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 hometown. 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," the subreddit’s founder, Patrick, gave us some pointers on how to up our navigation game.
With mass vaccination programs continuing to gather steam, global travel and adventure are nonetheless still in a very confusing situation right now. On the one hand, lockdowns had ended in some countries (and in the case of the United Kingdom will end on ‘Freedom Day’ on July 19, though with some confusion over mask-wearing going forth).
However, the quick rise in new cases after ending restrictions (e.g. in the Netherlands where cases soared by a whopping 500%), along with the continued spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19, mean that these same regulations are returning. And the rules keep changing very quickly, so it’s a nightmare to follow if you’re traveling, even if you’re double-vaxxed and immune.
Average Number Of Languages Spoken By The EU Population
The extra 0.6 in the UK is definitely from immigrant families and their descendants, plus those Brits that continue to use Welsh/Gaelic/Irish after school. The average indigenous Brit doesn't speak more than English with anything approaching fluency.
How To Read A Topographical Map
I Drew A Map Of All Japanese Prefectures (Took 6 Hours). Hope You Like It
“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," Patrick told me in late spring.
According to Patrick, who makes maps for a living, he’s heard tons of people say that everything has already been mapped. However, he points out that there will always be a need for new maps as time goes by.
"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," he said.
This Is My Friends Wood Shop Project, Thought It Would Be Fitting Here
If US Land Were Divided Like US Wealth
The United States — All Of It
"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,” Patrick told Bored Panda about the need to map and remap the world that surrounds us.
"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. Maintaining the world's databases of spatial information is the task of the modern map-maker." There will always be a need for maps and, we hope, for the entire subreddit as well.
What Are Your Thoughts On This Breggsit?
My Son’s (12) Map Of The Balkans
Speaking as a guy from the region, great job (My country's name has a tiny spelling error, but let's not make a fuss about it :-) ).
Rural Equivalent Of New York City, Los Angeles And Chicago
Children’s Map Of The World (Only Shows Countries Where Smacking Children Is Illegal)
The Great Lakes And Saint Lawrence River Superimposed On A Map Of Europe
Why Is [country]...? - Google Autocomplete Results (European Countires, 2021)
Many Polish people think Slovakians are much richer than us
Load More Replies...well I just did this search for Germany, from Germany, and got "Why is Germany so boring"... I wonder why so many people seem to think the country is boring
..."called Romania" ... a sarcastic title ... but at least I'm proud that no other stereotype has been assigned
Actually, i think the reason for this question is how the name of the country is related with the Romans; do a search after "why is called Romania" and the first info is: "The name "Romania" comes from the Latin word "Romanus" which means "citizen of the Roman Empire." ... The people who inhabited the area of modern Romania were called "Getae" (Geti) by the Greeks, and Dacians (Daci) by the Romans."
Load More Replies...Because the men's team sucks. The women's however is the best in the world forever and always! Go Pinoe! Go Tobin! Yeah Abbbbbbbbyyyyyy!
Load More Replies...It is to Mediterranean people because we are weather spoiled and we aren't used to England kind of rain. However, it's very good weather compared with most places in the world: there aren't extreme temperatures, not floods, not tornados, not dry and wet seasons, etc.
Load More Replies...Well, if they ask it may mean that people (English speakers?) are surprised that Ireland isn't as poor as they thought. 🤷♀️
Load More Replies...Why is France so racist? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_France
France is banning hijab? But I see people with hijab everywhere here?
Germany to blame for WW1? Seems like we made them forget about the sequel.
No, WW II is pretty clear why, but WW I has many responsibles
Load More Replies...You are aware that suggestions are based on location, right?... Mines: Why is [Lithuania]... so suicidal / the best place to live / called lithuania
Ireland so rich, where are ye going lads, can I get some please :D
“A meme” is fun, “so poor” not so fun. First time Albania isn’t called poor 😂
Load More Replies...WHAT??? France didn't ban hijab, hijab is wear everywhere, at university, at work... They ban niqab and burqa, the ones with only tiny holes for the eyes, or no holes at all, like a lot of europeans countries.
Yes but this is what people google, it's not saying if it's true or not
Load More Replies...We know Germany did'nt start the war. But they took part in it, and we ended the war. We are not ignorant like you think. Your comment is ignorant.
Load More Replies...Using facts only, please explain your statement.
Load More Replies...I Made A Gingerbread Eastern Hemisphere!
Age At First Marriage
Africa, 10 Million Years Later. (Based On Current Predictions And Data)
The Most Culturally Chauvinistic Europeans
What Does A Horse Say In Your Language?
Territories Of Modern Ghana And Ghana Empire
The Topography Of Africa
Pride Month Map: Countries In Asia That Recognize Same-Sex Marriage On A National Level
Map Of The Ancient Roman World From Their Perspective, 43 AD
Shanghai, China From 1984-2020
The Pacific Is Bigger Than All The Land In The World Combined
“Do You Pronounce The ‘R’ In ‘Arm’?” - England 1950 vs. 2016
The Europe That Was
This Is What The Surface Of Mars Would Look Like If, Like Earth, 71% Of Its Surface Area Was Covered With Water
Russian Propaganda Map Of Europe In 1915
This is actually great artistic work, if you set aside the imperialistic nature
My Latest LEGO Topographical Map, This Time The USA (Including Parts Of Canada And Mexico)
For 6.5 Years My Wife And I Tried To Have Every Person Or Family Who Visited Our Home Put A Pin In This Map, Marking Where They Called, Or Once Called, Home. We're Moving Out Now, And Decided To Tally Up This Phase Of Our Lives. 48 Countries. 15 States. 142 Pins
Japan Is Farther East, West, North And South Than Korea
Turkey For Beginners
All The Major Highways And Roads Of Canada
Most Spoken Languages In Each US State Other Than English Or Spanish
Australia And Brazil Comparison
A Map Of The World But It’s Just The Time Zones
Looks like a coding part with 1s and 0s from the movies except with lines
The World According To Google Street View
The Most Consumed Type Of Alcoholic Drink In Europe
Map Of The Armenian Genocide. The Size Of The Red Circle Represents The Number Of People Killed
These Countries Do Not Have An Army
Many of the Pacific nations are 'guarded' ie the armies of nz and australia, and the governments, have a close relationship and are allies. It makes sense
My Primary Map Stitching Project Has Been State Bedrock Geology Maps. Georgia Is The 17th State I've Finished!
Soft Drinks From All Over Europe
Places Where Birthright Citizenship Is Based On Land And Places Where It Is Based On Blood
Ummmm, this is not quite correct. I live in a country that's designated red, but in reality, it is blue.
Egypt's Population Concentrated Around The Nile River
Europe 1444 Map (8k X 5k Image)
This Is A Map Of All Reported UFO Sightings, 1906-2014 (Source:esri)
1422 Paris Map On Top Of Today Paris
A World Map, But Countries Are Sized According To Their Co2 Emissions (2010)
CO2 emissions per capita matters more. Qatar, Kuwait, UAE are bigger emitters than USA and China.
I Made A 3D Topographic Map Of Penobscot Bay, Off The Coast Of Maine
Every Dot Is A Football (Soccer) Pitch
New Guinea. I Had No Idea It Was So Large
Las Vegas From 1984-2021
A Map Of What's Happening In Israel-Palestine Right Now. Please Be Gentle In The Comments, It's A Mess In Here (Lynchings And Rockets And Riots And Firefights And Military Lockdowns, Jesus)
The Word Money In Various European Languages
In Italy we don't use "denaro" on daily basis conversations. We usually say "soldi". "Denaro" is more formal, I guess. Or technical: denaro pubblico, denaro liquido, pagamento in denaro...
A Physical Map Of India At The Bharat Mata Temple, Varanasi, India
Bigfoot Sightings vs. Black Bear Records
So, you're saying that there are really no black bears, but they are all actually bigfoots!!!
Used Some Old Damaged Atlas Pages To Decorate Under The Glass Of My Coffee Table
The Green Sahara (11000-5000 Years Ago)
First Map Of The World By Anaximander
Map Of Germany's Watersheds
Map Of Ottoman Empire In Early 16th Century. Handdrawn By Me
USA Cultural Regions Map
Comparison Of EU And East Asian Flight Paths After The Belarussian Air Space Incident
The people in the two countries are pretty much like those people in M.Night Shyamalan's The Village - no planes fly above their heads, they are kept in the middle ages by their authorities who present everything from the outside as a scary threat where in reality they are the true boogeyman.
The French Republic — All Of It
This is why France's longest border with another country is with Brazil.
I Just Finished This Population Map Of Europe Where Each Pixel Means ~500,000 People
The Deepest Points Of Earth’s Five Oceans
Most Common Last Name Per Country
African Population Density
Interesting how this correlates to the geographic map in another entry.
A Raindrop Falling In Erie Co. Pa Will Travel 2,147 Miles To The Gulf Of Mexico Rather Than 15 Miles To Lake Erie
Now You Can Figure Out How To Get Home If You're A Bit Farther Away Than Normal
In The Process Of 3D Printing Manhattan, NY
Blue/Green Eyes And Blond/Red Hair Across Europe
My father, my son and myself have green/grey eyes, the family is coming from the little spot in northern Italy :-)
The Same Amount Of People In Brazil Live In The Highlighted Areas
Australia Is Big
The Map Of Australia From 1794
The Average Bedtime By County In The Us
Western sides of time zones go to bed later because of the actual time of sunset.
The United States As Only Bodies Of Water
World Writing Systems
Map Of Europe If The Size Of The Countries Were To Be Their Gdp
I would like to have this map "per capita". It would be much more interesting... and world map too.
Polar Histograms Of Street Networks In 100 Major Cities Across All Continents, Ranked From Most Orderly To Most Disorderly (Each Histogram Bar’s Direction Represents The Compass Bearings Of The Streets, And Its Length Represents The Relative Frequency Of Streets With Those Bearings)
North America 77 Million Years Ago
Olympus Mons Volcano On Mars Compared To The State Of Arizona:
What I've learned here is that France is close to the size of Arizona.
Annual Fruit Consumption Per Capita (2017, Kg)
Portion Of Each State That Is Federal Land
This can be misleading. I live in a national forest, so technically I live on federal land.
Tourist Map Of Death Valley (1929)
How Many U.S. Counties Have A Population Greater Than The State Of Wyoming?
The Average Centre Of The U.S. Population Has Been Gradually Moving Westward Since 1790 And South Every Year Since The Introduction Of Air Conditioning In The 1920s
The Topography Of Turkey
See those three little flat bits on the northern coast in the middle? The easternmost corner of the boxy one on the right was the location of historical Themiscyra on the Thermodon River, the (alleged) capital city of the legendary Amazons.
Where Is The Nearest National Park?
Natural national parks. There are no historical national parks on here. Interesting, though, I didn't know Shenandoah was the closest natural national park for me.
A Comparison Of Australian States And The United States By Area And Population
To Which One Of The 7 Modern World Wonders Are You Closest?
I Think Us Election Is Not About Republicans vs. Democrats But Urban vs. Rural
Countries Larger Over Longitude Or Latitude
The arrows for longitude and latitude are vice versa, also Greenland is not a separate country
The Most Popular Languages Learned On Duolingo Per Country.
Well Kudos to Sweden, their school system is so good, they don’t need Duolingo! Also their immigrants really want to integrate themselves!
How Far Are You From France ?
Google Earth In 1600
USA Map In Russian. Enjoy Your Cyrillic
Antarctica Without Ice Fantasy Map (Made With Inkarnate)
Percent Of Adults Smoking Cigarettes Across The Us And The Eu. Data For 2017/2018
I think this number will decrease in various countries over the next years. So many youths today are conscious of what‘s good for them and the environment.
The World's Population Concentrated
Legality Of Cannabis Around The World (July 1, 2021)
This German Submarine Map With Squares That Are All The Same Size
Symbols Of Aviation - Europe And Nearby (Source: Fb Page Of 303 Jag Squad)
Got Bored In Class
EU Map Made Out Of UK's
The Nearest National Capital In Europe
Highest Point In Each American County
The Estimated Amount Of Daily Truck Drivers In The U.S. (1998)
Countries With 2 Largest Cities Furthest Apart
Population Of The Americas In 1950 vs. 2020
All Of Those Wandering African Place Names
Olympus Mons Compared With France
We are the real Chosen People! (not related with the map of Israel/Palestine conflict)
Where Is Central Europe?
Where Americans Are Moving To (And Where They Are Leaving)
Median Age Of Us States
I read "742" for Florida and thought this might be a bit exaggerated.