40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

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The thin blue band surrounding earth is our atmosphere.
In this sliver thinness, all breathable oxygen is located
and all greenhouse gases gather.

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Thanks to friend Ed Myer M.D. for sending "40 Maps."

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Note that by clicking the hyperlinked "source name" located under each individual map you can access a fuller view of the map and/or an enriched explanation of the map.

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If you’re a visual learner like myself, then you know maps, charts and infographics can really help bring data and information to life. Maps can make a point resonate with readers and this collection aims to do just that.

Hopefully some of these maps will surprise you and you’ll learn something new. A few are important to know, some interpret and display data in a beautiful or creative way, and a few may even make you chuckle or shake your head.

If you enjoy this collection of maps, the Sifter highly recommends the r/MapPorn sub reddit. You should also check out ChartsBin.com. There were also fantastic posts on Business Insider and Bored Panda earlier this year that are worth checking out. Enjoy!

1. Where Google Street View is Available

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Clik here to view. map-of-the-world-where-google-street-view-is-available

Map by Google

2. Countries That Do Not Use the Metric System

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Map via Wikimedia Commons

3. The Only 22 Countries in the World Britain Has Not Invaded (not shown: Sao Tome and Principe)

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Map by Stuart Laycock (via The Telegraph)

4. Map of ‘Pangea’ with Current International Borders

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Map by eatrio.net via Reddit

Pangea was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras, forming about 300 million years ago. It began to break apart around 200 million years ago. The single global ocean which surrounded Pangaea is accordingly named Panthalassa.

5. McDonald’s Across the World

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Clik here to view. map-of-countries-with-mcdonalds

Map by Business Management EU

6. Paid Maternal Leave Around the World

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Map by The New York Times

7. The Most Common Surnames in Europe by Country

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Map by Teepr on Reddit

8. Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country

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Clik here to view. Worldwide_Driving_Orientation_by_Country-(1)

Map by ChartsBin.com

9. Map of Time Zones in Antarctica

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Map by Phoenix B 1of3

10. Global Internet Usage Based on Time of Day

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Map by Carna Botnet via Reddit

11. The World’s Busiest Air Routes in 2012

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Map by Vizual Statistix

12. Visualizing Global Population Density

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Map by valeriepieris on Reddit

13. Flag Map of the World

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Map by andrewfahmy on Reddit

14. Map of Alcohol Consumption Around the World

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Alan: What do you think? Would Islamic countries benefit from more self-medication?

Map by World Health Organization

15. Map of Alcoholic Drink Popularity by Country

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Map by World Health Organization

16. Map of Rivers in the Contiguous United States

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Map by Nelson Minar

17. US Map of the Highest Paid Public Employees by State

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Map by Deadspin.com

18. World Map of Earthquakes Since 1898

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Clik here to view. earthquakes-by-magnitude-since-1898

Map by John M Nelson

19. Map of Where 29,000 Rubber Duckies Made Landfall After Falling off a Cargo Ship in the Middle of the Pacific Ocean

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Map via prometheus08 on Reddit

20. Map of Countries with the Most Violations of Bribery

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Clik here to view. bribery-nigeria-is-the-worst

Map by James Mintz Group

21. World Map of Vegetation on Earth

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Map by NASA/NOAA

22. Average Age of First Sexual Intercourse by Country

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Clik here to view. Average_Age_at_first_sex_by_Country-(1)

Map by ChartsBin.com

23. If the World’s Population Lived in One City

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Clik here to view. the-worlds-population-concentrated

Maps by Tim De Chant @ persquaremile.com

24. The Number of Researchers per Million Inhabitants
Around the World

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Clik here to view. Number_of_Researchers_per_million_inhabitants_by_Country

Map by ChartsBin.com

25. Worldwide Map of Oil Import And Export Flows

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Map by BP via Business Insider

26. The 7000 Rivers that Feed into the Mississippi River

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Map via Gradeskee on Reddit

27. World Map of the Different Writing Systems

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Map by Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) on Wikimedia Commons

28. Worldwide Annual Coffee Consumption Per Capita

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Map by ChartsBin.com

29. The Economic Center of Gravity Since 1 AD

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Map by McKinsey&Company

30. The World Divided Into 7 Regions,
Each with a Population of 1 Billion

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Map by delugetheory on Reddit

31. Earth’s Population by Latitude and Longitude

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Photograph by mrgeng on Reddit

32. Map of Contiguous United States
Overlaid on the Moon

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Map by boredboarder8 on Reddit

33. Frequency of Lightning Strikes Throughout the World

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Map by Citynoise on Wikimedia Commons

34. Overall Water Risk Around the World

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Clik here to view. drought-risk-its-not-just-isolated-around-the-equator

Map by World Resources Institute

35. The Most Dangerous Areas in the World
To Ship Due to Pirates

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Clik here to view. riskiest-areas-to-ship-where-the-pirates-rule-the-seas

Map by Control Risks

36. Area Codes in Which Ludacris Claims to Have H*es
(song reference)

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Map via asonjones on Reddit

37. Where 2% of Australia’s Population Lives

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Map by e8odie on Reddit

38. The Longest Straight Line You Can Sail on Earth
(Pakistan to Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia – 20000 miles)

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Map by kepleronlyknows on Reddit

39. Map of Europe Showing Literal
Chinese Translations for Country Names

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Map by haohaoreport.com

40. Reversed Map with Southern Hemisphere at Top of Map (because position of North is arbitrary)

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Map via nnm.me

Bonus
World Map Tattoo with Countries Visited Coloured

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Map via OutrageousAnimals on Reddit

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http://reelfoto.blogspot.com/2013/03/earth-from-space-nasas-blue-marble-east.html

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"The Best Paper Map Of The United States You Will Ever See"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/05/greatest-paper-map-of-united-states.html

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Clik here to view.

1. Where Google Street View is Available

2. Countries That Do Not Use the Metric System

3. The Only 22 Countries in the World Britain Has Not Invaded (not shown: Sao Tome and Principe)

4. Map of ‘Pangea’ with Current International Borders

5. McDonald’s Across the World

6. Paid Maternal Leave Around the World

7. The Most Common Surnames in Europe by Country

8. Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country

9. Map of Time Zones in Antarctica

10. Global Internet Usage Based on Time of Day

11. The World’s Busiest Air Routes in 2012

12. Visualizing Global Population Density

13. Flag Map of the World

14. Map of Alcohol Consumption Around the World

15. Map of Alcoholic Drink Popularity by Country

16. Map of Rivers in the Contiguous United States

17. US Map of the Highest Paid Public Employees by State

18. World Map of Earthquakes Since 1898

19. Map of Where 29,000 Rubber Duckies Made Landfall After Falling off a Cargo Ship in the Middle of the Pacific Ocean

20. Map of Countries with the Most Violations of Bribery

21. World Map of Vegetation on Earth

22. Average Age of First Sexual Intercourse by Country

23. If the World’s Population Lived in One City

24. The Number of Researchers per Million InhabitantsAround the World

25. Worldwide Map of Oil Import And Export Flows

26. The 7000 Rivers that Feed into the Mississippi River

27. World Map of the Different Writing Systems

28. Worldwide Annual Coffee Consumption Per Capita

29. The Economic Center of Gravity Since 1 AD

30. The World Divided Into 7 Regions,Each with a Population of 1 Billion

31. Earth’s Population by Latitude and Longitude

32. Map of Contiguous United StatesOverlaid on the Moon

33. Frequency of Lightning Strikes Throughout the World

34. Overall Water Risk Around the World

35. The Most Dangerous Areas in the WorldTo Ship Due to Pirates

36. Area Codes in Which Ludacris Claims to Have H*es(song reference)

37. Where 2% of Australia’s Population Lives

38. The Longest Straight Line You Can Sail on Earth(Pakistan to Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia – 20000 miles)

39. Map of Europe Showing LiteralChinese Translations for Country Names

40. Reversed Map with Southern Hemisphere at Top of Map (because position of North is arbitrary)

*Bonus*World Map Tattoo with Countries Visited Coloured

If you enjoyed this post, the Sifterhighly recommends:

Trending Articles

24. The Number of Researchers per Million Inhabitants
Around the World

30. The World Divided Into 7 Regions,
Each with a Population of 1 Billion

32. Map of Contiguous United States
Overlaid on the Moon

35. The Most Dangerous Areas in the World
To Ship Due to Pirates

36. Area Codes in Which Ludacris Claims to Have H*es
(song reference)

38. The Longest Straight Line You Can Sail on Earth
(Pakistan to Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia – 20000 miles)

39. Map of Europe Showing Literal
Chinese Translations for Country Names

Bonus
World Map Tattoo with Countries Visited Coloured

If you enjoyed this post, the Sifter
highly recommends: