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Choosing a map projection

  • Other considerations for map projection choice
  • World projections
  • Hemisphere projections
  • Continent or smaller region projections

When choosing a projection in which to store your database, consider the database's primary use.

  • Databases created under contract or to be used by a government organization are often in a projection determined by the governing body, such as state plane in the United States or Great Britain National Grid in the United Kingdom.
  • Use equal area projections for thematic or distribution maps.
  • Presentation maps are usually conformal projections, although compromise and equal area projections can also be used.
  • Navigational maps are usually Mercator, true direction, and/or equidistant.

Other considerations for map projection choice

  • The extent of the area to be mapped. Is it a database of the world, a continent, or a state?
  • Location of the area to be mapped. Is it a polar, midlatitude, or equatorial region?
  • Predominant extent of the area to be mapped. Is the area roughly circular or longer in the east–west, north–south, or some oblique direction?

The list below shows a range of choices for common map types.

World projections

Conformal

Mercator, Transverse, Oblique Mercator

Equal Area

Cylindrical, Eckert IV, Eckert VI, Mollweide, Flat Polar Quartic, Sinusoidal

Equidistant

Azimuthal

Straight Rhumb Lines

Mercator

Compromise

Miller, Robinson

World projections

Hemisphere projections

Conformal

Stereographic, Polar

Equal Area

Lambert Azimuth

Equidistant

Azimuthal

Global Look

Orthographic

Hemisphere projections

Continent or smaller region projections

Predominantly east–west along equator

Conformal

Mercator

Equal Area

Cylindrical

Continent or smaller region projections: Predominantly east–west along equator

Predominantly east–west away from equator

Conformal

Lambert

Equal Area

Albers

Continent or smaller region projections: Predominantly east–west away from equator

Predominantly north–south

Conformal

Transverse, UTM

Continent or smaller region projections: Predominantly north–south

Predominantly oblique

Conformal

Oblique Mercator

Continent or smaller region projection: Predominantly oblique

Equal extent in all directions

Conformal

Polar, Stereographic, UPS

Equal Area

Lambert Azimuth

Straight Great-Circle Routes

Gnomonic

Continent or smaller region projections: Equal extent in all directions

Correct scale

Between Points

Two-Point Equidistant

Along Meridians

Azimuthal (polar aspect), Equidistant, Equirectangular, Simple Conic

Along Parallels

Polyconic, Sinusoidal, Bonne

Continent or smaller region projections: Correct scale

These tables are based on Snyder, John P., 1987, Map Projections, A Working Manual, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1395, 385p. https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/pp1395

Related topics

  • Project
  • Transforming coverages between NAD27 and NAD83
  • Crossing map projection zones

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