35 Maps of the World With Information No One Really Needed to Know, But Is Interesting Nonetheless

Maps are captivating tools that offer us intriguing glimpses of our world, even though they often present it in a simplified, two-dimensional form that may not always align with our expectations. This particular map, revealing the shortest conceivable flight path between Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Santiago, Chile, underscores the fascinating distortions of mapping the spherical Earth on a flat surface.

At first glance, you might question its logic, wondering whether flying through Africa would be a shorter route. However, this map reminds us that conventional maps often disregard the Earth’s curvature, leading to discrepancies between the perceived distances on the map and the actual realities of travel. It’s a compelling illustration of how map projections can sometimes challenge our common-sense notions of geography.