18 Unusual Maps That Show the World From a Different Angle
Here are 18 maps which will make you see the world completely differently. They can be used to find out a lot of new information not just about our planet but about those who live on it — us.
Bright Side invites you to take a look at these maps to learn a lot of fascinating things. And at the end of the article, there is a bonus that will amaze you!
Real size ratio of the countries on maps
We have already mentioned before that maps don’t show real sizes. The thing is, we are using the Mercator projection, which has one serious flaw: the closer a country is to one of the poles, the bigger it seems to be.
Android vs iOS
According to statistics, iOS devices are used mostly in developed countries, whereas the rest of the world prefers Android.
The most popular alcoholic drinks in different countries
Even though there are so many different kinds of alcohol, people around the world prefer beer and hard alcohol. The exceptions are some Muslim countries, where drinking alcohol is frowned upon.
Worldwide subway map
Unfortunately, today this project is only the fantasy of British designer Chris Gray. But just imagine how convenient it would be to get to any place in the world just by walking down into the subway!
Attitude to tourists around the world
Most likely, not everyone would agree with these statistics, but Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines have been on the list of the friendliest countries for a few years now.
Prevalence of the metric system
The metric system is accepted in most countries of the world as the most convenient. By the way, if you have ever wondered where meter comes from, here is the answer: one meter is one ten-millionth of a quarter of the meridian from the North Pole to the equator.
The most popular social media in different countries
The absolute leader in the world is Facebook, which is unfortunately blocked in China — just like YouTube, Instagram, and even Google.
The most popular last names in Europe
The most popular last names usually describe a field of work (Gruber is a miner, Müller is a miller), names (Ivanov, Dimitrov), and, most commonly, places and their features. For example, Bērziņš is a birch, and Tamm is an oak.
The longest waterway route
If someone wanted to embark on the longest sea voyage, they would take this route.
The most popular sports around the world
Most countries prefer football thanks to its simplicity.
Time zones in Antarctica
All the meridians of the planet go across Antarctica, which is why the people who reside in the stations there live in different time zones depending on the location of their station.
A map with America in the center
Someone made a joke about this map: “You wanted to be in the center of the world so much that you cut Asia in half!” But we think that it has nothing to do with “wanting to be in the center.” It’s probably because this is a more comfortable angle for those who live in North America and South America.
Flags on the world map
As you can see, the most popular colors of national flags are red, blue, and white. Green flags are more common among Muslim countries because green is considered to be the color of nature and a symbol of religion.
Countries where GMO is allowed
Despite all the disputes, most countries don’t prohibit producing GMO. And in the US, manufacturers even have the right not to notify consumers about GMO ingredients in food.
The number of bike lanes in the Netherlands
Most European countries are great for riding a bike, but the Netherlands is absolutely outstanding. And trust us, their bike lanes are never empty because the number of bikers in this country is 99.1% of the entire population.
Average IQ level around the world
It seems that the stereotype that Asians are the smartest people in the world is not far from the truth. The population of Canada, Australia, and many European countries also have a high IQ.
McDonald’s restaurants around the world
Have you been to McDonald’s at least once? This chain of fast-food restaurants can be found almost everywhere. However, there are countries that don’t want to have this restaurant on principle, and the last McDonald’s in Iceland was closed in 2009. The official reason was a hard economic situation.
How Australia sees the world:
South-oriented maps are used in Australia and some other countries of the southern hemisphere because, for them, this is the most comfortable angle.
Bonus: What do you see?
Sometimes nature is amazing. If you split Australia into 2 parts, you will see that the left part looks a lot like a dog’s head, and the right looks like a cat. Well, at least here cats and dogs are OK being together.
Which of these maps amazed you the most? Tell us in the comment section below!
Preview photo credit depositphotos
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