That is common in east Asia in general, and I don't see why not π€·
this post was submitted on 10 Oct 2025
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I'm no map understander, but I think the projection choice might have not been the best cause it seems to skew edges, while the part that it maintains has a lot of empty space (or maybe I'm just used to other maps). Though this is just a random map on a wall so π€·
The solution is to create a new continent in the Pacific.
You are used to other maps. Yours are skewed the same way, at least when referencing the versions with curved edges (Robinson), but you just see the same anglo-centric projections, being centered on the prime meridian from the northern hemisphere. The USA is a little bigger than shown on the "normal" map. Greenland is quite smaller than represented. South America/Africa/Australia are significantly undersized. And there's no hope for understanding Antarctica in either version.
Yes, but the maps we're more used to split in the middle of the Pacific, far from all land, more or less at Point Nemo. That minimizes the visual distortion since the land is further from the edges of the map.
Splitting through the Atlantic makes it trickier, because the ocean is significantly narrower, meaning that the land masses are all closer to the edges.
Positioning the map with North at the top is truly arbitrary, but splitting the map in the Pacific actually makes a lot of sense from a usability perspective.
Less land? Sure, but not away from all land. Less people, debatable. The Atlantic split makes it hard to notice Alaska and Russia are miles apart. It also makes it seems like hundreds of pacific islands are at the edge of the world, isolated. It presents the Americas and Asia as, literally, a world apart. No matter where you draw your centerline, the edges have greatly distorted distances. It's not just continental mass that's important, but aquatic distances as well.
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And it has New Zealand on it!
Exactly, no one here played Street Fighter 2 on SNES?!
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Fun fact: Whether North or South are "up" on a map is also completely arbitrary.
They undercut the message buy putting upside down at the top.
I had a teacher in high school who always set his globe that had the text oriented to the nearest pole to have the south pole on top. Anyone switching it would start a conversation about how there isn't a 'correct' up direction.
There is only a "correct" up direction if it has words. The "correct" up would be the direction of the letters.
Oh god why Mercator?
Mercator really starts to shine when you rotate it by 90 degrees.
This is cursed enough to be an SCP
At this point, Africa is almost represented at its actual size.
Or left right
Should have rotated the other way so the sun scrolls satisfyingly top-to-bottom.
This looks like a fantasy world map wtf.
Yeah, but European borders aren't
Sure they are, they're fun to redraw too. I thought y'all loved doing that
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They included New Zealand.
They're already leagues ahead of most US primary education text books
Most maps in Asia are like this. Thatβs why growing up I was confused why the US was called the west and East/Southeast Asia was called the far east.
edit: Oops, didn't realize the credit wouldn't be obvious. It's xkcd #503.
I guess it kinda makes sense if you draw the line right down the middle of Germany. Weird, I wonder if there's any historical precedent for that...
Its almost as if some country thinks they are the center of the world.
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It makes as much sense as any other 2D projection of the globe.
I like this one
Maybe a little more than this one...
In this map's defense, it really highlights the value of a northwest passage and all the canals.
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Doesnβt the US sometimes use one that puts America in the center and cuts Eurasia in half? Can we agree this one is definitely stupid?
I've never seen that in the US. That is extremely stupid. Typically maps in the US center around the Atlantic/Europe.
From the US: I grew up with a map like this in the dining room. It was super confusing as s a little kid.
This unlocked some memories, wow.
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Maps with New Zealand.
And Tasmania!
At least it has New Zealand.
I like it, if only because it places Oceania at the center. They're always pushed aside and it's big sad.
Don't the rest of the countries in the region use similar maps? South Korea, Australia, Japan...? I would expect that to be the case, it seems more natural.
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It makes sense theyβd centre the Gulf Of Korea though.
At first this map seemed perfectly fine to me, but the more I look the weirder it gets.
- The projection used (Mollweide?) distorts the hell out of Europe, Iceland is practically a smear.
- Thailand is gone.
- Crimea seems missing.
- Is Japan a bit shrunk?
- They must have screwed up mounting Africa because the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are WAY too big
They also claim South Korea.
Sea of Thieves lookin' map.
Projection aside, proportionally it's a bit whack and Japan is a bit too far north. Taiwan also seems to be inexplicably MIA, which would be understandable if it were omitted due to size but there are several smaller islands still depicted.
Perhaps the real point of interest is that it seems to depict the North and South Koreas as united with the whole peninsula colored in red. As usual for the Juche Boys, this is probably a tacit threat rather than any indication of potential armistice or reconciliation.
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The oddest part for me is Greenland being split from the Americas
I mean politically speaking it's Danish, so I suppose it makes sense to group it with Europe in some ways.
It does look a little odd though.
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