# Mundane pointless map **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592 "2008-06-03T05:09:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/1 "2008-06-03T05:09:46Z")
As I said, very mundane and pointless. But I just found this [map](https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/maps/us-map.gif) and I thought it was cool because you so rarely see maps of the United States that show the entire country. Alaska and Hawaii usually get stuck in little side-maps in the corners. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/2 "2008-06-03T07:45:23Z")
You’d be surprised that there are actually people … like a cousin of mine … who actually think Alaska and Hawaii are right off the coast of California and Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/3 "2008-06-03T13:29:57Z")
I like that perspective, **Little Nemo**. As already noted, some folks don’t realize how enormous Alaska is because of the space-saving maps from our geography books in grade school. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/4 "2008-06-03T17:13:03Z")
This map doesn’t actually show Alaska’s correct relative size, though. It’s a projection (Mercator projection?) that “spreads out” the polar regions, making them appear larger than they are. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/5 "2008-06-03T17:17:34Z")
That is cool. I was wondering how accurate it is, both in terms of Alaska’s comparative size, and Alaska’s and Hawaii’s relative distance from the lower 48. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/6 "2008-06-03T17:26:48Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] This map doesn’t actually show Alaska’s correct relative size, though. It’s a projection (Mercator projection?) that “spreads out” the polar regions, making them appear larger than they are. [/QUOTE] Ah. Duly noted. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/7 "2008-06-03T17:37:01Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] This map doesn’t actually show Alaska’s correct relative size, though. It’s a projection (Mercator projection?) that “spreads out” the polar regions, making them appear larger than they are. [/QUOTE] It’s not the Mercator projection. I don’t think it’s an equal-area projection, but it does seem to distort area much less than the Mercator projection. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/8 "2008-06-03T17:55:36Z")
> [@](#): > > I was wondering how accurate it is, both in terms of Alaska’s comparative size, and Alaska’s and Hawaii’s relative distance from the lower 48. I think it’s pretty accurate. [Here’s](http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/ak/images/alaska-small.gif) a map of Alaska superimposed on the continental United States at the same scale. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/9 "2008-06-03T17:59:15Z")
[Here](http://www.alaskantravelguide.com/images/ak_usa_big.jpg) is Alaska superimposed on the continental 48. The OP’s map doesn’t look that much different. You want real unusual maps? [This](http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/) is one of my favorite sites, just go back through the blog posts. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/10 "2008-06-04T03:04:51Z")
I find it interesting that the map includes a selection of important cities such as New York, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Prudhoe Bay (of which Google suggests the current population is 5). ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/11 "2008-06-04T03:10:11Z")
One big problem I see is that Alaska is separated from the rest of the U.S. by some other land. I suggest that we annex that land so that it is easier to drive straight to Alaska without being forced to go to places of different colors. Before this map, I am not sure if other people noticed that. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/12 "2008-06-04T03:39:54Z")
But then what would America use for a hat? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/13 "2008-06-04T03:41:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Prudhoe Bay (of which Google suggests the current population is 5). Sure, now. But you should have seen the place during Spring Break. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/14 "2008-06-04T03:43:48Z")
…but, but… we’re also separated from Hawaii by some land (well, pretty soggy land) that’s a different color… blue… …and I’ve been through that other land you’ve talked about. I dunno, they seem a little too civilized for 'merkin tastes. Seems dangerous, not the kind of thing we’d ever want to accidently get exposed to. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/15 "2008-06-04T04:13:34Z")
The map still doesn’t include places like Guam and the US Minor Outlying Islands. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/16 "2008-06-04T04:51:58Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] Sure, now. But you should have seen the place during Spring Break. [/QUOTE] HA! that made me giggle 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/17 "2008-06-04T05:09:10Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] But then what would America use for a hat? [/QUOTE] Canada could still be considered a hat. It would just be worn at a rakish angle. [Like this.](http://www.greencastlemuseum.org/images/Special%20Exhibits/vintage_hats/30_BlackSlouch_c.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/18 "2008-06-04T16:44:08Z")
[QUOTE=Terminus Est] The map still doesn’t include places like Guam and the US Minor Outlying Islands. [/QUOTE] This map comes from the [CIA World Factbook](https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook) (a great reference). The United States territories are listed in the Factbook separately from the United States itself (as are all territories of nations). ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/19 "2008-06-04T19:59:21Z")
The same thing used to annoy me about USA state jigsaw puzzles as a kid. I once saw someone with a puzzle of all of North America, which put Alaska in its right place. Was never able to find it in a store, though. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mundane-pointless-map/451592/20 "2008-06-04T20:21:31Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] You want real unusual maps? [This](http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/) is one of my favorite sites, just go back through the blog posts. [/QUOTE] Dear lord…there’s a blog for everything isn’t there? 🆒