What is the Mercator project map?
Mercator projection, type of map projection introduced in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator. This projection is widely used for navigation charts, because any straight line on a Mercator projection map is a line of constant true bearing that enables a navigator to plot a straight-line course.
What are the lines on a Mercator projection?
Mercator is a cylindrical projection. The meridians are vertical lines, parallel to each other, and equally spaced, and they extend to infinity when approaching the poles.
How does a Mercator map distort the world?
Mercator maps distort the shape and relative size of continents, particularly near the poles. The popular Mercator projection distorts the relative size of landmasses, exaggerating the size of land near the poles as compared to areas near the equator.
What is Mercator projection in geography?
Mercator World Map. His most famous work, the Mercator projection, is a geographical chart where the spherical globe is flattened into a two-dimensional map, with latitude and longitude lines drawn in a straight grid.
How is Mercator projection done?
In 1569, Mercator developed a better, more accurate projection. Although the execution was difficult, the basic idea was simple: Imagine a globe with a paper cylinder wrapped around it — Mercator projected that globe onto the paper and then unwrapped it.
How do I make a world map chart?
Create a Map chart with Data Types
- Map charts have gotten even easier with geography data types.
- Now it’s time to create a map chart, so select any cell within the data range, then go to the Insert tab > Charts > Maps > Filled Map.
- If the preview looks good, then press OK.
How is the Mercator projection distorted?
Although the linear scale is equal in all directions around any point, thus preserving the angles and the shapes of small objects, the Mercator projection distorts the size of objects as the latitude increases from the equator to the poles, where the scale becomes infinite. …
