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Where would we be without maps? After all, they don’t just exist to help us find directions, although that is an important and noble task, they can also be used to help contextualize important details about the world around us. Data can appear dry, boring and downright painful to look through until it is “mapped” onto a place our brains can understand.
This page shares interesting, cool and novel maps that might just teach you something new about the world. We got in touch with Richard Layman, a urban/commercial district revitalization, transportation advocate and consultant in Washington, DC to learn more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and comments your thoughts below.

#2

Friendly Reminder Of How Ridiculously Big The Pacific Ocean Is

Friendly Reminder Of How Ridiculously Big The Pacific Ocean Is

Thin-Pool-8025 Report

#3

Map Of Armenian Genocide And Deportation From The Ottoman Empire. It Started 109 Years Ago Today

Map Of Armenian Genocide And Deportation From The Ottoman Empire. It Started 109 Years Ago Today

WheatBerryPie Report

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Poppy
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I didn't even know this was a thing, going to google to educate myself some more.

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Bored Panda got in touch with Richard Layman, a urban/commercial district revitalization and transportation advocate and consultant in Washington, DC to learn more about city planning and the data needed to make good decisions. First and foremost, we wanted to hear some common misconceptions he has encountered as part of this role.

“People often don't understand the difference between capital and operating funding. The solution to homelessness is actually simple. Build more housing and provide support services as needed. What the problem is is coming up with the money. E.g. Salt Lake County needs at least 2 billion to build what is required and 150 million per year for services, for 5,000 people. But the population is not static, demand will only grow. Plus that people don't want housing for severely needy people to be located nearby.”

#4

Climate Of Australia Compared To The World

Climate Of Australia Compared To The World

ellatino230 Report

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#5

People’s Common Reaction When You Start Speaking Their Language

People’s Common Reaction When You Start Speaking Their Language

languageseu Report

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Eastendbird
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think I've told this story before but a friend of mine sent a love letter to her French boyfriend, in French, and he sent it back to her with the grammar corrected. So that tracks with the French reaction...

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#6

Earthquake Risk In Europe

Earthquake Risk In Europe

Intelligent_Store0 Report

He also had some suggestions for urban development advocates. “When advocating, don't use examples from Europe or Portland/far away states. The elected have a hard time with that. Use best practice examples closer to home. Relatedly, while every place is unique, few are so exceptional that they can't be compared to and learn from other places.”

#7

Percentage Of Children Born Out Of A Registered Marriage

Percentage Of Children Born Out Of A Registered Marriage

orange_caterp319 Report

#8

Brazil Overlaid Onto Europe

Brazil Overlaid Onto Europe

MaconheiroSafadao Report

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Corvus
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did you know: Brazil is so big that it can fit the entirety of Brazil within itself :D

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#9

Average Speed Of Trains In Europe

Average Speed Of Trains In Europe

Individual-Sun-9426 Report

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Ace
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty sure this is solely based on schedules and does not reflect reality in some countries.

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“I argue that the point of planning and zoning is to improve quality of life. When it doesn't do that routinely it's an indicator that the processes are flawed. And, developers are the leads, not planners. Plans shape what can be done, but only with vision. And elected officials listen to developers a lot more than planners.”

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#10

U.S. Counties Where The African American Population Is 25% Or More

U.S. Counties Where The African American Population Is 25% Or More

VisibleSalt3 Report

#11

How Safe Do People Feel To Walk Alone At Night In Europe (2024)

How Safe Do People Feel To Walk Alone At Night In Europe (2024)

dazedeu Report

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PFD
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's really important with this dataset to recognise it is purely about *feelings* not *actual risk*. I've seen so many headlines about how this country or that is sliding down the safety league table etc and when I've followed up on the data, the crime rates rarely track the perceptions. Much more to do with political and media narratives, esp around immigration.

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“The land use bar has a lot of power. Plans are usually based on past conditions so they build for yesterday when today and tomorrow have different demands. Most zoning is use based, and "matter of right" meaning as long as it meets minimum requirements it has to be approved. Lots of crap is approved and built. And not coordinated with other nearby build out opportunities. Losing the opportunity for multiplicative benefits.”

#13

Which Countries Have Been Female LED?

Which Countries Have Been Female LED?

heynishant Report

#14

How Many Years An Area Has Been Rules By The Roman Empire

How Many Years An Area Has Been Rules By The Roman Empire

sentenza63 Report

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#15

Home Ownership In European Countries (2022)

Home Ownership In European Countries (2022)

Individual-Sun-9426 Report

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Crouching hippo hidden panda
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m not sure how recent this data is, it certainly isn’t this high for Gen-z. It would be interesting to see the generational statistics

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City planners spend a lot of time looking at maps, but we wanted to hear, in his words, what are the things they aim to accomplish. “Stephen Semes writes about the importance of "the architecture of the ensemble." Our planning and zoning processes aren't designed to produce or maintain "nice” places.”

#16

First World War Casualties Mapped

First World War Casualties Mapped

Fevercrumb1649 Report

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BTDubs
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What was WW1 even about? As far as I can see, it was a feud between some royal cousins that got ugly...

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#17

If 100 People Lived In The Eu, Where Would They Live?

If 100 People Lived In The Eu, Where Would They Live?

Mister_Barman Report

#18

Crazy To Think How Popular European Cities Are

Crazy To Think How Popular European Cities Are

Acrobatic-River-5596 Report

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Auntriarch
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vienna would have been 18,000,002, if my parents hadn't been ill

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“This is true for both residential and commercial areas. Developers only have to care about their lot. Not connecting to and strengthening the broader district,” he shared. If you want to see more of his work, you can explore Richard’s blog where he writes about his thoughts and experiences.

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#19

Gay Travel Index 2024

Gay Travel Index 2024

No_Discussion6913 Report

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Jrog
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The red dot on Vatican City is ridiculous. Sure, they have religious issues with that but there is no actual risk for travelers. Con the contrary, China, Japan and India should have been much further on the purple side.

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#21

The Average Temperature Of The Coldest Month In Each European Capital City

The Average Temperature Of The Coldest Month In Each European Capital City

Tour-Sure Report

#22

When/Where Can You Legally Drink In India?

When/Where Can You Legally Drink In India?

Anshu27reddit Report

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Nimitz
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But it seems like everything is going so well in India. They have Modi suppressing elections, religious extremism getting out of control, the resurgence of sexism and homophobia, and supporting Putin/Trump/North Korea. Everything's going so well there...

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#23

Number Of Referendums Held In Each Country's History

Number Of Referendums Held In Each Country's History

UnusualTeam Report

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Jrog
Community Member
5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Switzerland uses a lot the referendum system, even for ordinary things; it's a very direct form of decision, and parties are not so much ideologically divisive as in other places. Italy also requires them for changes that have an effect on the constitution or that are culturally sensitive.

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#24

A Map Of Europe By Each Nation's Most Iconic Artwork

A Map Of Europe By Each Nation's Most Iconic Artwork

HansLanda77 Report

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Chewie Baron
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Albania: Holy Mary holding Baby Jesus in her right arm, Andorra: Apse fresco of Sant Miquel d'Engolasters church, Austria: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt, Belarus: The Fiddler by Marc Chagal, lBelgium: The Son of Man by René Magritte, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Mountain landscape by Karlo Mijić, Bulgaria: Rachenitsa Dance by Ivan Mrkvička, Croatia: Roman Woman Playing A Lute by Vjekoslav Karas, Cyprus: Couple by Stelois Votsis, Czech Republic: The Absinthe Drinker by Viktor Oliva, Denmark: The Little Mermaid, Estonia: Half Nude in Striped Skirt by Adamson-Eric, Finland: The Wounded Angel by Hugo Simberg, France: Sunrise by Claude Monet, Germany: Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich, Greece: Venus de Milo, Hungary: The Old Fisherman by Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka, Iceland: Thingvellir by Thorarinn B. Thorlaksson, Ireland: Three Studies of Lucian Freud by Francis BaconI, taly: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Latvia: After Church by Janis Rozentāls,

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#26

Top Countries With Most Gold Reserves

Top Countries With Most Gold Reserves

CareerWest Report

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#27

Countries That Have Similar Gdps To Each Region Of Germany (2022)

Countries That Have Similar Gdps To Each Region Of Germany (2022)

DATI162838 Report

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Jess Smith
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I bet I could trace East vs West Germany from those regions...not perfectly of course but it could be a decent map.

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#28

Eurovision - "Who Gave Us The Most Points In The Last 20 Years?"

Eurovision - "Who Gave Us The Most Points In The Last 20 Years?"

mktek34 Report

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Hagebumi
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is one Thing to think about: IT is the European Song Co test. So what is Austrslia ding there ? The answer: They are such huge Fans of that contest, that they are allowed to participate.

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#29

Map Shows Europe Is Divided Into 4 Regions Based On Origins Of The Word Beer

Map Shows Europe Is Divided Into 4 Regions Based On Origins Of The Word Beer

Tartar666 Report

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Mark
Community Member
5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hungary staying strong to it’s no we don’t like your language philosophy

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#30

People With Double Jobs In The European Union

People With Double Jobs In The European Union

quindiassomigli Report

Note: this post originally had 75 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.