Lab #5 Map Projection

     The world is so big. In order to arrive the destination, we will need some sort of direction tool to help out; therefore, the map will be the one. There are many kinds of map projections; however, there is no way to project a 3-D surface on a 2-D surface perfectly. It is important to choose the right type of map projection for the purpose of map usage. I will use 3 different types of map projections, conformal, equidistant, and equal area, to compare the distance between Washington D.C. and Kabul. Each type of map projection preserve a specific feature, for instance, the area, shape, direction, or distance; however, not all features are able to preserved on one map.

     Equal area projection preserves the relative size and area of a continent or a country. Equal area projection is not used for navigating large distance because neither the angle nor the distance is preserved. Equal area projection can be used for mapping countries since its relative size is correct. However, each equal area map preserves area in a certain region or with certain conditions. Therefore, is it important to choose the right equal area projection depending on your region of focus. For example, Bonne projection is usually limited to maps of continents or smaller regions.

     Equidistant projection preserved the distance from the center point and any other point in all directions. The most significant characteristic of Azimuthal equidistant projection is that both distance and direction are accurate fromt he central point. Two point equidistant projection shows the true distance from either of two chosen points to any other point on a map. Each equidistant projection is projected under different conditions. You can see that two right equidistant projections. Even they are called "equidistant" projection, the distances from Washington D.C. to Kabul are different. 

     Conformal projection is most commonly used in the map. Conformal projection preserve the local shape and angle. The advantage is that the direction is preserved; therefore, it is used in navigation. A disadvantage is that the sizes and areas of the continents are distorted. For example, in the Mercator projection, the size of south pole continent is larger than any other continent. Large area distortion makes Mercator projection not suitable for general world maps.