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Science & Nature • Cartography

World map

A world map is a cartographic representation of Earth’s surface on a flat plane, usually showing continents, oceans, and political boundaries.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

A world map is a cartographic representation of Earth’s surface on a flat plane, usually showing continents, oceans, and political boundaries. Because Earth is roughly spherical, all world maps involve some distortion, which cartographers manage through map projections. World maps may also be thematic, showing data such as climate or population.

Definition

A world map is a map of most or all of Earth’s surface, commonly showing continents, oceans, countries, and other physical or political features. It may also present thematic data such as rainfall, temperature, or population.

History

World maps have been made since antiquity, with early examples appearing in ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and later in the work of Claudius Ptolemy. Over time, mapmakers developed projections to represent the curved Earth on a flat surface.

Projection and accuracy

No flat world map can show the planet without distortion, because Earth is not flat. Some projections preserve area, others shape or direction better, and different projections are considered most accurate for different purposes.

Modern use

Today, world maps are used in education, navigation, journalism, government, and data visualization. Digital mapping and satellite imagery have improved geographic precision, but political boundaries may still vary by source.

Key facts

  • A world map depicts most or all of Earth on a flat surface.
  • All world maps distort size, shape, distance, or direction to some degree.
  • Globe models avoid flat-map projection distortion by representing Earth in three dimensions.
  • World maps can be political, physical, or thematic.
  • Modern maps use aerial photography and high-resolution imagery to improve boundary accuracy.
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Canadian context

World maps are widely used in Canadian education, government, media, and travel, and Canadian readers may encounter different country counts or boundary depictions depending on the map source.

Frequently asked questions

What is the world map?
A world map is a flat map of most or all of Earth’s surface, usually showing continents, oceans, countries, and other geographic features.
Who created the first world map?
There is no single universally accepted creator of the first world map. Ancient examples existed in Mesopotamia and Greece, and later Claudius Ptolemy influenced mapmaking with his work *Geography*.
What is the most accurate world map?
No single world map is universally the most accurate, because different projections preserve different properties. Globes are the most accurate overall three-dimensional representation, while some flat projections are more accurate for specific measurements.
How many countries are on the world map?
There is no single fixed count. A common international figure is 195, including 193 United Nations member states plus 2 observer states, but some sources count differently.
What is the largest country on the world map?
Russia is the largest country by area.
What is the difference between a world map and a globe?
A world map is flat, while a globe is a three-dimensional model of Earth. A globe reduces projection distortion, but a flat world map is easier to print, carry, and annotate.

References

  1. Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/science/world-map
    Supports: Definition of a world map, distortion from projections, and use of globe versus flat map.
  2. National Geographic Education — https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/map/
    Supports: General map definition, projection, and distinction between maps and globes.
  3. Oregon State University Libraries — https://guides.library.oregonstate.edu/guidetomapsinSCARC/world
    Supports: Historical world maps and early examples from antiquity.
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_map
    Supports: General description of world maps and projection distortion.