What is a Map Projection?

Maps are usually seen in a flat, two-dimensional medium such as a drawing on paper or an image on a computer screen. Since the surface of the Earth is curved, or three-dimensional, the visual elements on the surface must somehow be transformed from three dimensions to two in order to display a map of the Earth's surface. Projections are a mathematical process by which the visual elements are transformed from three dimensions to two.

 

One of the simplest forms of projection is analogous to shining a light through a translucent globe onto a piece of paper and tracing the outlines. Other forms of projection may involve dozens of complex mathematical equations. Since no two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional surface can be accurate in every regard, a variety of different projections have been developed to suit different purposes. Some projections are accurate in terms of area but not in scale, some are accurate in terms of scale but not in shape, and so on. The selection of an appropriate projection for a map depends on which characteristics of a map are most important or most desirable for a given project or audience.

 

Didger supports several of the projections that are most often used in modern cartography and related fields. You can convert data or imported files to another coordinate system, projection, ellipsoid, or datum using the Map | Change Projection command.

 

There are many excellent textbooks and publications on this subject, and we do not attempt to explain projections in full detail here. If you need or want more information, you might consider reading the references that provide good introductory discussions of map projections.

 

 

See Also

Map Coordinate System Overview

Ellipsoids

Datums

Characteristics of Projections

Latitude and Longitude Coordinates

Latitude and Longitude in Decimal Degrees

Projection References