The world is a large and mysterious place with new questions to be found behind every answer that is given. There are maps these days that can help to visually clarify almost any question that we may ask. In order to better understand some of the idiosyncrasies that plague us about this crazy planet of ours, let's have a look at 40 maps that will make us see the world in a new light.
1. "Read All About It!"
Freedom of the press is important for many reasons. Amongst those reasons is that people have a right to know what's going on in their own country.
The countries that have historically had more transparency in their governments and freedom of the press usually have lower corruption rates, and last I heard corruption is bad. So therefore freedom of the press must be good.
2. "Passport Please"
Adventure walks have gained quite a bit of popularity over the past few decades. While some people choose to hike the Appalachian trail, others trek across deserts or spend a season living off the land in Alaska, and while all of those sound like great options, there is one hike that takes the cake.
Crossing almost the entire Eastern hemisphere, this is the longest straight-line path that one could take without needing to travel by sea or air. That's right, with proper visas, the 8433 miles from south of Liberia to south of Shanghai can all be done by foot.
3. "No Amount Of Time Is Too Long"
North Korea is an enigmatic country that the rest of the world knows little about. During and subsequent to the years of the Korean War, many families were torn apart and have not seen each other in more than half a century. Some people have managed to defect from the hermit country, but not many.
Above is a map of the routes defectors have taken out of North Korea, and through either China or Thailand, in order to be reunited with those whom they never thought they would see again.
4. "You're Not The Only One"
People have built barriers to keep things in as well as to keep things out of certain places. In Australia, they built a fence inland to help protect farmer's crops from dingos. Other countries have done so to protect their citizens from their neighboring countries.
John Lennon once imagined a world with no countries; with all of the other problems that humankind is facing, it's time to become a dreamer like John. Imagine we could all live as one...
5. "Maybe The Dingo Ate Your Baby?!"
For those who are unfamiliar with dingos, they are a wild breed of dog that is native to Australia. As Australia's largest meat-eating land animal, the dingo has gained a reputation over the years as an avid cattle thief and, on occasion, has been responsible for the disappearances of young children.
The world's longest fence was constructed in Australia in order to keep dingos away from the more fertile and populated lands of the southeastern part of the country. The fence travels an amazing 3488 miles (5614 km) and has been serving its purpose rather well since its completion in 1885.
6. "Je Ne Parle Pas Français"
One of the first questions that most people ask, upon meeting a Canadian for the first time is, "Do you know French?".
To the surprise of those who are not from Canada, most Canadians do not know enough French to hold a basic conversation. In fact, less than 30% of Canadians admit to knowing French.
7. "Nature Vs Nurture"
Determining the age at which an individual should be held responsible for the criminal acts which they commit is not easy. There are many factors that should be taken into account, especially in today's world where "children are growing up so fast these days".
Every country has its own reasons why the minimum age of accountability is what it is, however, what gets lost along the way is that children are still children. Until the time that a child's mind is developed enough in order to understand the consequences of their actions, how could they be held responsible? It's shocking to learn that there are still a few countries that have deemed that a criminal is a criminal, no matter what age they are.
8. "It's Getting Hot In Here"
Living in a cold country takes quite a bit of getting used to. The people of Finland have found a way to help take the bite out of their winters. Below is a map of every public Sauna in Finland.
The total population of Finland is about 5.3 million people, considering there are about 3.3 million saunas in the country, that would mean that, on average, every household in Finland has a sauna.
9. "It Ain't So Rocky In These Mountains"
The west coast of North America is rich with a seemingly endless variety of vegetation and wildlife. British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada, is no different.
The wide range of climates and landscapes that are present in British Columbia is a major factor as to why such a large number of living things are able to thrive in "beautiful B.C."
10. "One Day Is Not Enough For My Mum"
Mothers are the most important people in the world. Without mums (and some help from our fathers) not a single one of us would exist. For 9 months, they carry us around inside of themselves and sacrifice so much in order to make sure we come into this world as safe and healthy as possible. One day to celebrate our mums is just not enough, they should be celebrated constantly and without fail.
In Russia, they celebrate Mother's Day on the last Sunday of November. That means that while America celebrates how thankful they are for the events of the first thanksgiving, Russians everywhere are preparing to be thankful for their mums. I suggest that no matter which country we call home, everyone should take a very good look at this map and remember all of these Mother's Day dates. #onedayisnotenoughformymum
11. "That Was Then..."
Millions of years ago, long before man walked the Earth, the world looked a little different than it does today.
This ancient "super-continent" is known as Pangea, and it is what our world would look like if the lands hadn't separated to become the 7 continents that we now know and love.
12. "Anyone Bring Some Cheese?"
With just the slightest taste any good wine connoisseur should know the origin of the wine they are drinking. Some can even do so simply by the wine's fragrance.
Europe has long been known worldwide for the quality and quantity of their wines, and the California valleys in the States provide Americans with a top-quality wine of their own, but most people are unaware that the wines coming out of Australia and, more so, New Zealand, are just as robust and flavorful as any of the others.
13. "Texas Tea"
Created from the fossils of living things that roamed the Earth millions of years ago, oil has become one of the most sought-after commodities on the planet.
If the value of oil is ever in question, just take a look at how the locals in Saudi Arabia and Dubai spend their free time.
14. "Looks Can Be Deceiving"
When compared to the countries that make up North America almost every other country in the world looks tiny. Take Japan for instance, to most of us it is just a small group of islands off the coast of mainland Asia but in actuality, it's much larger than we think.
Although the area of Japan is only about 4% of that of the States, Japan is more than two times the size of North and South Korea combined. Not bad for a small group of islands in the middle of the sea.
15. "Sleepless In Alaska"
The longest day of the year is called the summer solstice. It's the day of the year that we get more sunlight than on any other day of the year. Every year in the Northern hemisphere that day is June 21st.
During the Summer Solstice the further north a place is, the more hours of sunlight it will have. Most of Alaska and the northern parts of Canada experience 24 hours of daylight during the solstice. The "white nights" would be interesting to experience, but tough to sleep through.
16. "Love Is Love!"
On April 1st, 2001, the Netherlands was home to the first legal same-sex marriage and thus became a pioneer in the equal rights movement.
Twenty years later, in 2021, there are now 29 countries around the world where same-sex marriages are legal. This is mainly because their populations have deemed that love is love, no matter the sex of one's partner.
17. "There's No Place Like Home"
Achieving the "American dream" in the "land of opportunity" is something for which generation after generation of immigrants has strived, after all, "the new world" had it all. It had copious amounts of farmable land, natural resources, endless possibilities, and giant funnels of wind that could destroy anything in their paths...
Moving to the States is a dream that many people around the world have in common, however, 75% of the world's tornados occurring in the United States and 30% occur in the aptly named "Tornado Alley", the center of the country might not be the best option. Oh, and if earthquakes are a concern, try to avoid the west coast as well.
18. "How Much Is This 'Free College'?"
Most people don't go to college or university because the cost of higher education is just simply too high. Highlighted in purple are the places that offer free college education to their citizens.
A free college education is one thing, but all because college is free, it doesn't mean that everyone has the means to attend.
19. "It Matters To Them"
There is an age-old theory about how, if a guy has a really expensive car, he is usually trying to compensate for something...
I suppose this map explains why gun ownership is higher in some states and I guess not everything is bigger in Texas...
20. "Why Trade Down?"
If it were not for trade deals that countries set up with one another, we would all be living in want of some of our favorite things. America, for instance, relies more heavily than one would think on the trade deals that it has with most countries in Europe.
Buying American products sounds great on paper and is surely the "patriotic" thing to do, however, there are a number of countries that simply have a better or more efficient product than what can be found stateside.
21. "They're Lovin' It"
Starting as a single burger stand in San Bernardino, California, it took McDonald's less time to conquer the world than the British, Roman, Greek, or Mongol empires.
There are few places left on Earth in which the McDonald's franchise has not left its mark.
22. "A Supersized Country"
America takes a lot of crap for having a larger than average percentage of obese adults, but they are not alone in their gluttony. Below is a map that shows us which countries consume the most and least calories each day, as well as how these numbers compare to obesity rates.
The countries with the largest caloric increases over the past 60 years are still well below that of Western countries like the United States and the UK. Fun fact: famine in Africa could be wiped out with just 5 billion dollars, that's just 3% of Elon Musk's total wealth.
23. "All You Need Is Love"
The idea of the "typical" nuclear family has been growing less and less common over the past few decades.
There are many reasons why a mother or father might be raising their children on their own, and as long as they can do so by giving the child the best life they possibly can give it, it shouldn't matter how many parents the kid has.
24. "Paid Leave?"
After giving birth to their child there is nothing that a new mother wants more than to spend all of their time with their newborn baby.
Most countries around the world understand the importance of the early part of a baby's life, and the role that parents should have in raising them...most.
25. "It's All In The Genes"
Led by Genghis Khan, the Mongolian Empire had one of the greatest armies this world has ever seen. At the peak of his power, Genghis Khan's goal was to have his genes last for all eternity. Below is a map of all the land that the Mongolian Empire had conquered at the peak of its power.
Due to the astronomical amount of women that Genghis Khan had slept with during his lifetime, there are still currently about 16 million men alive who share DNA with the great Khan. That's 0.5 of a percent of all men on Earth.
26. "Are You Not Entertained?!"
Ancient Rome did not only give the world the wonderful gift of modern plumbing but is also responsible for some of the greatest architectural creations that the ancient or modern worlds have known.
The ancient Roman empire lasted almost 500 years. At its high point, the Empire ruled all the lands that touched the Mediterranean Sea, but like all the other Empires and Kingdoms in history, the Romans just couldn't endure, and eventually, the Empire crumbled and gave way to the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.
27. "Turkey Anyone?"
Founded at the turn of the 14th century, the Ottoman Empire was there to pick up the pieces of what was left of a collapsing Byzantine Empire.
The Ottoman Empire eventually took control of most of the Mediterranean Sea's shoreline as well as parts of the Persian world. The Ottomans would eventually find their ruin because of World War 1 and what was once a great empire is now a country known to the world as Turkey.
28. "Tap Your Head And Rub Your Belly In A Clockwise Direction"
The film "Beerfest" is an excellent example of how everyone tends to believe that their own country has the best drinkers, but not everyone can be correct.
Remember, that's liters of PURE alcohol per year, not liters of beer in a night. North Americans might be the best beer drinkers in the world, however, it looks like a couple of Eastern European countries take the prize for highest blood alcohol level amongst those 15 years of age and older.
29. "A Fading Monarchy"
The title "King of The Jungle" used to be a lot more accurate than it is now. Lions used to be more widely distributed across the African continent as well as parts of southwestern Asia. It is amazing to think that at one point in time, in India, lions and tigers actually used to co-exist.
Due to drought and the hunting practices of poachers, the Lion population has been progressively dwindling over the years. Without proper preservation and protection laws, these great beasts will be going the way of the Dodo before we know it.
30. "Bigger Doesn't Mean Better"
Believing that the largest city in each country also happens to be the capital city of that country is a misconception that many people share. Below is a map of the countries whose capital city is not the largest city in the country.
Coming as no surprise, Washington D.C is the capital but not the largest city in America. Most people are surprised, however, when they learn that Ottawa (not Toronto) is the capital of Canada and that Canberra (not Sydney) is the capital of Australia.
31. "Divide And Conquer"
Ever wonder what the world would have looked like 1000 years ago or how many people there would have been? Although the layout of our planet has not changed much in appearance over the past thousand years, the number of people occupying it sure has.
To give a little bit of perspective: the population of Canada in 2021 is almost equal to what all of Europe's was in the year 1000, and America has more people today than the entire planet did 1000 years ago.
32. "It's Never Too Late To Change"
There is a reason why so many countries around the world have switched to the metric system...it makes sense. The countries that are highlighted in red are the few and the proud who are yet to make the switch from imperial to metric.
How many feet are there in a mile? 5280. Why is a foot 12 inches in length? Because that's how big the foot was of the person who measured the first official foot, hundreds of years ago. Uh, yes the imperial system, what a wonderfully logical way of measuring things. A kilometer has 1000 meters. A meter has 100 centimeters. A centimeter has 100 millimeters. See where I'm going with this? Oh yeah, boiling temperature is not 212 degrees, it's 100, and freezing is zero degrees. See how easy that is.
33. "Nice Tux!"
Other than at zoos there are not many places to see penguins in the wild, however, there are more places than we'd expect. It doesn't matter what time of year or day it is, they always dress to impress.
Simply put, penguins are adorable. When visiting Melbourne, Australia, be sure to pop over to the suburb of Saint Kilda in the evening in order to watch them clumsily waddle about on land but elegantly fly through the water. It is something that needs to be seen firsthand.
34. "One Language Is Tough Enough Sometimes"
In high school, most North Americans are given the opportunity to learn a language other than English. That is not to say that most of them do, but the opportunity is there.
Perhaps it's because of their proximity to other countries that speak different languages, but Europeans on the other hand, have clearly taken advantage of the opportunities they've been given.
35. "Shakin' All Over"
Experiencing an earthquake is something that is not soon forgotten by those who have literally felt the ground shake beneath their feet. At first, there is a bit of confusion when it almost feels as though someone is playing some music and has the bass turned up to eleven. When moving to a city that is close to a fault line, it's a good idea to be prepared for what's in store.
For those who are having a bit of trouble deciphering this one, the center of this picture is the Pacific Ocean. As expected, the regions with the highest magnitude earthquakes over the past 120+ years are those that border the Pacific. If we ever find ourselves in the middle of an earthquake it's important to remember to find cover from possible falling objects and hold on to something because it's going to be a bumpy ride.
36. "Say What?"
Most North Americans are naive enough to assume that everyone they meet will know at least basic English.
Although there are a handful of countries where English is the primary language, there are many more nations around the world where the only English that people know is the tea they're having for breakfast.
37. "We Are The World"
The early 1980s were a pivotal time for Africa. AIDS, ebola, and famine were sweeping across parts of the continent at alarming rates. Thanks in part to Bob Geldof and the massive success of the worldwide Live Aid music festival in 1985, those who, in the past would not have paid attention, opened their eyes, ears, and wallets and began to help.
Although there is still so much work that needs to be done, it's amazing to see the progress that's been made in just 35 years. It does not matter where a child comes from, what matters is that children are the future, and every child deserves to have a childhood.
38. "This Isn't Jousting, It's Driving"
Although most countries in the world have adapted to driving on the right side of the road, there are still some that do things a little backward. It is very important when traveling to a foreign country to make sure that if renting a car, we know what side of the road we should be driving on.
When taking a family vacation to the land down under or to jolly old England, just remember that while driving, left is right, right is wrong. Driving on the left side of the road dates back to ancient Roman times when a chariot or wagon driver would hold the reins in their left hand and have their right hand readily available on the outer part of the wagon in order to yield a weapon in case a less than friendly individual should pass by.
39. "So Close"
Over the years there has been no country that had ruled over more places on Earth than England. During its reign, the British conquered the world...well, almost. There were a few countries that managed to elude British rule.
22 countries to be exact. That's right, throughout human history, only 22 countries on Earth managed to avoid being ruled by the British Monarchy.
40. "One For The Ages"
The secret to living a longer life is one that humankind has been after for as long back as the history books go. There have been countless diets, lifestyles, and spiritual journeys that people have turned to in hopes of adding just a few extra years to the end of their lives.
It turns out that universal healthcare is the secret. It makes it a whole lot easier to live a happy and comfortable life when one's government understands the importance of good health.