What is the difference between Mercator and Peters Projection?

In addition, Mercator only distorts longitudinal distances (except very close to the poles), whereas Peters screws up the scale almost everywhere for both longitude and latitude. This is why Mercator beats out Peters in the world of cartography, and why Google Maps uses a modified Mercator projection.

What is wrong with the Peters Projection?

Countries are stretched horizontally near the poles and vertically near the Equator, so although the size may be right, the shape definitely isn’t. The problem is, it’s impossible to stretch the 3D sphere shape of the Earth onto a 2D sheet of paper.

Why is the Gall-Peters map more accurate than the Mercator map?

The Gall-Peters projection (shown below) makes seeing the relative size of places much easier. Therefore, Peters argued, the Mercator projection shows a euro-centric bias and harms the world’s perception of developing countries.

What are the pros and cons of the Mercator projection?

Mercator Pros and Cons: Pros: 1. Being a cylindrical projection, the Mercator shows a great deal of the globe and is thus very good for world maps. 2. The Mercator is also conformal so shapes are preserved. These maps are therefore good for learning continents, oceans, and nations.

What are the uses of Mercator projection?

Criticisms of the Mercator Projection. To keep longitude lines straight and maintain the 90° angle between the latitude and longitude lines, the Mercator projection uses varying distances between latitude lines away from the equator . As a result, the Earth’s poles and landmasses closest to them are distorted.

What does the Mercator projection look like?

Mercator projection. n. A cylindrical map projection in which the meridians and parallels appear as lines crossing at right angles and in which areas appear greater farther from the equator.

Why is the Mercator projection used for navigation?

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.