Introducing Map Projections

A map is a projected representation of the Earth, or part of it, on a flat surface, which can be a piece of paper or a computer screen. Since the Earth has an ellipsoidal shape, it is best represented as a “globe”, and attempts to portray it by projecting its points onto a flat surface always result in some form of distortion in the regions that are far from the projection center. In other words, it is impossible to faithfully represent all the properties of the Earth, such as distances, shapes, and directions, on the same map. To minimize distortion, many different types of projections have been developed over the years. While certain projections preserve distances, others maintain shapes or angles. When creating a map, you have to choose the projection system that is best suited to the area to be represented or to the particular interests that your map application is designed for.

Projections can be classified into three main categories:

• Cylindrical Projections

• Conic Projections

• Azimuthal Projections

Projections can also be:

• Equal Area or Conformal Projections