# why does google maps show country borders so poorly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-maps-show-country-borders-so-poorly/502061>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 6, 2009, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-maps-show-country-borders-so-poorly/502061 "2009-07-06T11:18:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-maps-show-country-borders-so-poorly/502061/21 "2012-10-24T16:07:00Z")

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> [@dan1500](#):
>
> Maybe it didn’t do it in 2011, but now if you search for a city name, zip code, or county name it will show up with its borders highlighted

That’s true, except for a few countries where I presume Google has shied away from controversy. E.g. if you search for India (which has a dispute over Kashmir), Pakistan (Kashmir) and Israel (West Bank), the Google results do not show a neatly highlighted border.

Edit 1: other countries without Google highlighted borders: China, Japan (Diaoyu/Senkaku disputed islands?) and the Philippines (Spratly Islands?)

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**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-google-maps-show-country-borders-so-poorly/502061/22 "2012-10-25T03:40:24Z")

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Since this thread has been resurrected, have a look at the “National Geographic” style basemap at [ArcGIS Online.](http://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html) Or at [Michelin’s online service.](http://www.viamichelin.com/)

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