40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

08-12-2013

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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

 

map of the world where google street view is available 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Google

2. Countries That Do Not Use the Metric System

 

map of countires that use metric system vs imperial 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map via Wikimedia Commons

3. The Only 22 Countries in the World Britain Has Not Invaded (not shown: Sao Tome and Principe)the only countries britain has not invaded 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Stuart Laycock (via The Telegraph)

4. Map of ‘Pangea’ with Current International Borders

 

map of pangea with current internatoinal borders 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

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

 

map of countries with mcdonalds 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Business Management EU

6. Paid Maternal Leave Around the World 

paid maternal leave by country 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by The New York Times

7. The Most Common Surnames in Europe by Countrymap of most common surnames in europe 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Teepr on Reddit

8. Worldwide Driving Orientation by Country

 

Worldwide_Driving_Orientation_by_Country-(1)

Map by ChartsBin.com

9. Map of Time Zones in Antarctica

 

Map-of-time-zones-in-Anarctica

Map by Phoenix B 1of3

10. Global Internet Usage Based on Time of Day

 

internet usage of the world based on time of day 2 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Carna Botnet via Reddit

11. The World’s Busiest Air Routes in 2012 

top 10 busiest air travel routes of 2012 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Vizual Statistix

12. Visualizing Global Population Density

 

there are more people living inside this circle than outside of it 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by valeriepieris on Reddit

13. Flag Map of the World

 

Flag-Map-denmark-puerto

Map by andrewfahmy on Reddit

14. Map of Alcohol Consumption Around the World 

map of alocohol consumption around the world 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by World Health Organization

15. Map of Alcoholic Drink Popularity by Country 

drink popularity by country 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by World Health Organization

16. Map of Rivers in the Contiguous United States

 

map of united states rivers 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Nelson Minar

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

 

highest-paid-US-public-employees-by-state

Map by Deadspin.com

18. World Map of Earthquakes Since 1898earthquakes by magnitude since 1898 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

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 Oceanwhere rubber ducks made landfall after being dumped in pacific ocean 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map via prometheus08 on Reddit

20. Map of Countries with the Most Violations of Bribery 

bribery nigeria is the worst 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by James Mintz Group

21. World Map of Vegetation on Earthmap of vegetation on earth 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by NASA/NOAA

22. Average Age of First Sexual Intercourse by Country

 

Average_Age_at_first_sex_by_Country-(1)

 Map by ChartsBin.com

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

 

the worlds population concentrated 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Maps by Tim De Chant @ persquaremile.com

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

 

Number_of_Researchers_per_million_inhabitants_by_Country

Map by ChartsBin.com

25. Worldwide Map of Oil Import And Export Flows

worldwide oil import and export flows 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by BP via Business Insider

26. The 7000 Rivers that Feed into the Mississippi River

 

map of rivers that feed into the mississippi river 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map via Gradeskee on Reddit

27. World Map of the Different Writing Systems

 

map of the writing systems of the world 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) on Wikimedia Commons

28. Worldwide Annual Coffee Consumption Per Capita

 

Coffee_Consumption-(3)

Map by ChartsBin.com

29. The Economic Center of Gravity Since 1 AD 

evolution-of-the-earth's-economic-center-of-gravity

Map by McKinsey&Company

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

 

population of the world split into equal sections of one billion 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by delugetheory on Reddit

31. Earth’s Population by Latitude and Longitude 

the worlds population by latitue and longitude 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Photograph by mrgeng on Reddit

32. Map of Contiguous United States
Overlaid on the Moon

 

map of united states overlaid on the moon 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by boredboarder8 on Reddit

33. Frequency of Lightning Strikes Throughout the World 

frequency of lightning strikes in the world 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Citynoise on Wikimedia Commons

34. Overall Water Risk Around the Worlddrought risk its not just isolated around the equator 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by World Resources Institute

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

 

riskiest areas to ship where the pirates rule the seas 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by Control Risks

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

 

area codes in which ludracris claims to have hoes 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map via asonjones on Reddit

37. Where 2% of Australia’s Population Liveswhere 2 percent of australia lives 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by e8odie on Reddit

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

 

the longest straight line you can sail in the world 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by kepleronlyknows on Reddit

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

 

literal map of europe by chinese name 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map by haohaoreport.com

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

 

map of world upside down south pole on top 40 Maps That Will Help You Make Sense of the World

Map via nnm.me