{
  "id": 6585028,
  "title": "What is an Equal Earth projection map? See comparisons here",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/what-is-an-equal-earth-projection-map-see-comparisons-here",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-10T11:35:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "EarthSky",
    "slug": "earthsky",
    "url": "https://earthsky.org/earth/mercator-projection-vs-equal-earth-projection-map/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Equal Earth projection map is an invented map from 2018 that aims to keep the accurate relative size of land masses. Unlike the widely used Mercator projection map, the Equal Earth map does not distort the sizes of countries and continents. While Mercator maps are useful for marine navigation as they maintain angles, the Equal Earth map is designed to compare different regions of the world without giving a strange, stretched outline to Earth.\n\nThe Equal Earth map is notable for its accurate portrayal of Africa, which appears larger on this map compared to Mercator projections. This is because Africa's size is closer to the true proportions seen from a globe. For example, Somalia near the equator on the Equal Earth map is about the size of the U.S. East Coast, while on the Mercator projection map, it appears smaller than it truly is. Similarly, Brazil, also located on the equator, appears more accurately sized on the Equal Earth map, with its northernmost point being closer to Canada than to Brazil's southern tip.\n\nDespite being a two-dimensional map, the Equal Earth projection map has its drawbacks. Like all equal-area maps, it distorts shapes and angles near the poles, which can lead to perceived distortions in the map's appearance. However, its main purpose is to provide a more accurate representation of the sizes and proportions of land masses on Earth, making it a valuable tool for comparison rather than a perfect representation of Earth's shape.",
  "summary": "Everyone is familiar with the Mercator map, a flattened view of Earth. But what is the Equal Earth projection map, and how does it compare? The post What is an Equal Earth projection map? See comparisons here first appeared on EarthSky .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}