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Maps can look absolutely incredible, but they require a lot of focus and dedicated effort. Whether you’re an artist, adventurer, geographer, engineer, statistician, or just a fan of good design, quality cartography can bring you a whole lot of joy.
The ‘Epic Maps’ account on X (formerly Twitter) is a fabulous project that celebrates great examples of cartography. Many of these designs are unique, creative, and unusual, so we wanted to share the very best ones with you, dear Pandas. Scroll down for a look, and don’t forget to upvote your favorite ones!
More info: X | Instagram | YouTube | Newsletter

#1

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OneWithRatsAndKefir
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Earth may not be a perfectly round sphere for space football, but it would be an amazing sensory widget for stimming. What I mean is, I want to touch this map.

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#2

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rullyman
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The formidable Andes. Amazing that the rugby team (the ones famous for cannibalism) were able to get out at all. I really recommend the podcast You're Wrong About for learning more about their ordeal. It's an amazing story and testament to the human spirit.

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The curator of ‘Epic Maps’ states that their goal is to share “educational and informative” world maps. This hasn’t changed over the years since the account was created in December 2020.

Currently, around a million X users follow the project on the social network. The curator also has a weekly newsletter you subscribe to and runs a YouTube channel, as well as an Instagram account.

#4

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Catherine North
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish we learned in school that the Mercator projection and the actual size/shape of the Earth's landmasses are often wildly different

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The difference between great maps and subpar ones lies in the balance between function and form. Obviously, a proper map needs to provide some sort of relevant and practical information for the user. It needs to be detailed enough to be useful, but not overwhelmingly so to the point of confusion.

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Visual clarity is massively important, from the fonts and symbols you use to the overall aesthetic. Deciding not to feature certain information can be just as important as what you do decide to showcase. Simplicity is key. Clutter is bad (unless it’s extremely aesthetic and intentional). The clearer and simpler a map is, the easier the information it features is understood, the better.

#7

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Manana Man
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And matching rocks, and seafloor spreading rates and directions as determined by magnetic orientations of oceanic rocks. And radiometric dating.

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#8

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Stannous Flouride
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Living in San Francisco for 48 years and I've seen lightning here less than 10 times.

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#9

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Rob D
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The grey areas represent presence of more stuff that will kill you than not.

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A good-looking map that serves no actual purpose will be just that—a nice decoration. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. Many people frame maps from fantasy and sci-fi worlds and give them a place of honor on their walls and shelves. You probably know some people who have detailed maps from The Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, and A Song of Ice and Fire at home.

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Meanwhile, a map that is overwhelmingly functional and loaded with super-relevant info might help you with your job. However, if there’s no flow to the design and no clear aesthetic, it’s probably not something you’d be rushing to show off to others. Unless they’re in the same professional field as you are.

#10

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rullyman
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I looked at doing this back in 2019. The plan was to try and get to Japan without flying- you can get the ferry from Korea at the end. However I talked to someone who had done the Trans Siberian express and found it really dull and testing. Day after day of looking at pine trees drives you a bit mad, and I have some dietary issues so would worry about not being able to eat any food they sold. Might be good as a meditation or writing retreat! In the end I took the train from London to Bologna in Italy, visited a friend there, and then flew to Tokyo. This year I did my first sleeper train (London to Penzance) and really didn't enjoy it, so I think I made the right choice!

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#12

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rullyman
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some of those other countries are happier though 🤫 economy isn't everything

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Blend the two—good design and practicality—and you have the foundation for something that’s not only appealing to the eyes but also useful and informative. In our experience, the maps that tend to go the most viral are either incredibly unique looking or they blend an artistic look with some truly good information.

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With so much content on the internet and especially on social media, even very educational maps probably won’t get as much attention as they deserve if they lack the aesthetic oomph. They simply wouldn’t be able to stand out from the crowd.

#13

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Corinna Barrow
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not quite true. More like no cities, or big towns, in the green zones. But there are lots of little communities or farms in there.

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#14

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Fat Harry (Oi / You)
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Africa is a continent, so why would it be in any way surprising that it should fit many countries in it? That's basically what a continent is, after all. (And yes, Europe is also a continent, but it's very small).

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#15

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Savahax
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the great circle route, when projected on a sphere and subtracting the distortion caused I think it is a straight line. It only follows the curvature of the earth, but no left or right turns

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There’s a ton of proof that the internet is madly in love with cartography (even if many people just like looking at cool and pretty pictures). ‘Epic Maps’ is far from the only project that brings the best and most interesting maps to the forefront of the internet.

There are many others, often boasting hundreds of thousands and even millions of dedicated fans. And there are lots of truly talented cartographers out there, both amateur and veteran alike.

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For example, the founder of one globally famous cartography-oriented online community, Patrick who also works as a land surveyor, previously explained to us why people decide to make maps in the first place. According to him, there are many possible reasons.

#17

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Savahax
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Indonesia has a massive population. "It's only islands!" yeah, but MASSIVE ones

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“Sometimes for navigation, sometimes for showing statistical phenomena, and sometimes for fantasy. While artistic skill helps, it is not absolutely necessary,” he said. “The important thing is to make it easy for users to glean useful information. Most maps should have a thesis or a story it is going to tell and this needs to be told through the map.”

Many people feel inspired to go on more adventures in life after poring over a particularly good map. But that hype, energy, and motivation can fade once you start considering how tough it can be. You can get a tad overwhelmed. According to the land surveyor, there’s no alternative to seizing the day and following your dreams ASAP.

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#20

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Ace
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2 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Largely determined by which countries have bases in those areas, so they stick on the same time zone as their homeland.

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“I've noticed, especially as I've gotten older, that you only have so much time on this planet and every day that is wasted is a day that you'll never get back. If you want to get out and explore the world you just have to do it,” he told us earlier. “Some adventures will cost time and resources, but the real question I ask myself is can I afford not to do some goal I have my heart set on. There are so many opportunities in this world that it may be hard to choose, but if you wait too long those opportunities will be gone forever.”

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#22

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rullyman
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2 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They are super visible in Tukey and Greece though. Street cats everywhere.

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#23

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Tim Pateman
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a fascinating topic. There are several factors that mean in most of Europe more males.are born than females (distance from the equator being one); but differences in migration and life expectancy change that balance when you look at everyone.

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Meanwhile, the co-founder of another popular cartography-focused social media project, Erik, previously told Bored Panda that a map can be very powerful. “It is an effective way to communicate a phenomenon that has geographical or spatial relevance. From demonstrating the obvious of how neighboring countries see each other, to conveying complex information about the state of nature using remote sensing data," he said.

"In an ever-complex world, with apparently ever-complex challenges, from climate, nature, geopolitics, war, energy security, and human rights issues—maps enable us to understand and navigate the ever-evolving complexity of our societies.”

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#26

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DeoManus Argentem
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It was originally called the "IV League" because of football - Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Dartmouth - that played together.

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#27

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Bobby Edler
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Russia.....also a repressive communist dictatorship...(USSR) Nothing has changed since the 60s.

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Many social media content creators who share maps put in the effort to double-check at least some of the information featured in the images. They might do a general review of the data, but verifying every single tidbit can be quite impractical.

However, those people who actually end up making (and selling) their own maps go even further, using data and satellite data from trusted sources.

#28

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LaserBrain
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2 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bum guns should be a separate category, most places I've been in southern Asia use them. They work quite well.

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#29

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#30

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Fishpanda (fish/panda/it)
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Somehow I feel like urban areas should be a bit larger. Or is this just counting large cities?

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Which of these epic maps did you like the most, dear Pandas? Which ones surprised you with their content? Are there any that you’d actually consider printing out and hanging up at home?

Have you ever sat down and made a map for any reason? We’d like to hear your thoughts on everything. If you have a moment, share your opinion in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

#31

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Fembot
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah that’s right. We have a match box’ size forest area and we’d better protect it (at least until our current government turns it all into highways and mega pig farms)

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#32

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Catherine North
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't disagree with most of the choices. I'm mostly just curious how each was chosen. What criteria was used to select the most 'iconic'?

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#34

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JayWantsACat
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't know why (well, ignorance, of course) but I always thought of London as flat.

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#35

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that_gay_snake
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the fact people feel the need to flee their own country is sad. why cant we have a semi-peaceful world where you don't have to be scared in your own home?

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#36

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Ace
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow. I had no idea that so many were so ill-educated. But it explains quite a lot, now I come to think about it. Now I want to see a correlation between education level and Trump supporters.

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#39

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JoNo
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What? How is this measured and how is the data collected? I call bullsh*t on some of the information shown on these maps.

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#41

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that_gay_snake
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

just want to run my fingers across this image ( don't make this dirty please!)

#42

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Kat Lineker
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's because in some places, people whine about paying taxes. But the jurisdiction has to get money some way, so the main occupation of the cops is catching speeders. Those are also the places where you pay a fee for every fricking thing you do.

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#45

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Forrest Hobbs
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whatever the source for this map, it's got it horribly wrong - because it suggests that the industrial revolution hadn't reached Scotland or much of northern England by the 1880s - hadn't even reached Liverpool by the look of it. The first intercity railway opened in 1830 between Liverpool and Manchester and was a bit of a significant landmark in the industrial revolution, which arguably began in around 1705 in Cornwall (Newcomen's pumping engine, with a bit of help from France), which according to this map only got the industrial revolution in the 1850s. And never mind what was going on in Italy and Spain... Basically, the map's nonsense.

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#46

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Fat Harry (Oi / You)
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cricket is a tricky one because there are three main formats and you can have a separate champion in each. Australia are the Test and ODI champions, but India are the T20 champions.

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#50

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DowntownStevieB
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2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair, for most of the country, businesses are kinda far from homes. We did have a culture of walkable businesses before the turn of the century. Now, not so much.

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#53

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