About & Data Sources

Why this site exists

World maps are powerful shorthand, but their distortions are easy to forget. We built this site so readers can compare two projections using the same geography, framing and measurement basis instead of relying on a dramatic before-and-after image.

Our editorial aim is narrow: explain projection trade-offs, document the data behind the interactive map and make claims that a reader can check.

Map boundaries

Country geometry comes from Natural Earth’s public-domain 1:50m dataset. Places below its polygon resolution remain available in the selector but are not represented by artificial dots. Natural Earth depicts de facto boundaries; disputed boundaries are sensitive and may differ from maps published by national governments or international bodies.

Projection and measurement

The maps use D3’s geoMercator and geoEqualEarth implementations. Official area references are labelled separately from a geodesic estimate calculated from the boundary on screen. Pixel footprint is a third quantity: it shows the visual effect of a projection inside two equal panels whose map scales are normalized so Africa has the same projected area.

Editorial standards

Articles are written and reviewed for this site. We prefer primary records from the United Nations, African Union, official statistical agencies and the projection’s authors; independent reporting is used to verify event context. Sources, publication dates and review dates appear on each article.

We correct substantive errors and clarify ambiguous wording. We do not present a projection as a political boundary decision, and we do not describe a General Assembly recommendation as a binding global rule. Corrections can be sent to [email protected].

How to reproduce the comparison

Every live panel starts with the same Natural Earth country geometry. D3 then projects those coordinates separately with Mercator and Equal Earth. Before any country is selected, the two projection scales are normalized so the projected area of Africa matches; both panels then share the same geographic centre and zoom factor.

The interface reports projected screen footprint separately from the geodesic estimate calculated from the boundary. This makes the visual comparison repeatable without presenting pixels as an official land-area statistic.

Independence and funding

New World Map is independently published. Advertising may help cover hosting, research and maintenance costs, but advertisers do not select topics, review articles or alter the map results. We do not publish paid rankings or disguise advertisements as editorial recommendations.

External links are included as sources or further reading, not as affiliate endorsements. If that model changes, we will label the relationship on the relevant page.