Why is the Robinson map projection considered useful?

The Robinson Map Projection: Why It’s Still a Go-To Choice

Ever looked at a world map and wondered why it looks the way it does? It’s all thanks to something called map projections, and one of the most popular is the Robinson projection. But what makes it so special? Well, it’s all about compromise.

Back in the day, cartographers were stuck with choices that weren’t exactly ideal. You had the Mercator projection, great for sailors because it kept angles nice and tidy, but it made Greenland look as big as Africa – which, spoiler alert, it definitely isn’t. Then there was the Mollweide, which got the areas right but squished everything out of shape. Neither was perfect, right?

Enter Arthur H. Robinson. Commissioned by Rand McNally in the early ’60s, his mission was to create a world map that was, well, less awful. He wasn’t trying to make a map that was perfect in any one way. Instead, he aimed for a balance, a kind of “best of all worlds” approach. Think of it like trying to bake a cake that’s both delicious and healthy – a tricky feat!

So, what’s so great about the Robinson projection? For starters, it doesn’t distort things too much. It’s like it’s trying to be fair to everyone. Area, shape, distance, direction – none of them are spot-on, but none are ridiculously wrong either. Plus, let’s be honest, it just looks good. The curves are smooth, the shape is pleasing to the eye. It’s a map you wouldn’t mind hanging on your wall.

I remember being a kid and staring at the world map in my classroom. It was a Robinson projection, and I always thought it looked “right.” Maybe that’s why it’s so popular in schools. It’s easy on the eyes and helps you get a sense of the world without too much brain-bending distortion.

It’s not just for classrooms, though. You’ll find the Robinson projection in all sorts of places, from textbooks to atlases. Even the CIA World Factbook uses it. And there’s a good reason for that, it’s great for showing data. Need to map climate patterns or population density? The Robinson projection is a solid choice.

Of course, it’s not without its flaws. It’s a compromise, remember? So, it’s not perfect for measuring distances or calculating precise areas. And yeah, things get a bit wonky up near the poles. But overall, it’s a pretty darn good representation of our planet.

Interestingly, even the Robinson projection has been replaced by some. The National Geographic Society, for example, switched to the Winkel tripel projection in 1998, aiming for even less distortion.

But even with newer alternatives, the Robinson projection remains a classic. It’s a reminder that cartography is as much an art as it is a science. It’s about making choices, finding balance, and creating a map that helps us understand our world just a little bit better. And in that sense, the Robinson projection has definitely stood the test of time.