We know the world map just by the shape of it. Remember all the maps you were thought in school? Some teachers would even ask you to memorize them and do a blank map exam.
Source: SplashLearn
But did you know that maps are not just for showing the location of each country? It can be used for other things too! Here is a collection of interesting maps that you would never see in school.
Pangea world map
Have you ever heard of Pangea? It is actually what we called Earth about 200 to 300 million years ago back when all the continents were still attached to each other. During those times, we only had one super continent.
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows what the countries looked like before the continents started to break apart and move from each other. As most of us know, this happened because of the movement of tectonic plates.
Writing systems of the world
As we all know, we live in a world of cultural differences. Just like having different languages, some countries have different writing systems. And some of these have different directions when it comes to writing style too.
Source: Nature World Today
Here is a map that shows the different writing systems that are beings used in different parts of the world. Although a majority uses the Latin writing system that we are familiar with, it is nice to see that some countries stick to their own alphabets too.
An interesting fact about the Australian population
Australia is a vast country that is disconnected from the rest of the world. And although you think the population would thrive on their own, this map of Australia shows an interesting thing. Would you believe that only 2% of its total population lives within the outlined area?
Source: Nature World Today
It’s not that there’s a lack of population in Australia. The majority just live near the coastal areas since Australia is also a wild country that is home to a lot of dangerous animals, insects, and reptiles. Much of it is also actually uninhabitable because of the desert land.
Countries that have McDonald’s
McDonald’s is a well-known fast food restaurant. After all, it is the biggest multinational fast-food corporation in America and it has dominated the global market. They even have localized menus to satisfy the palate of each country!
Source: Nature World Today
It has been around since 1955 and has franchises all over the globe. This map shows how many countries have a McDonald’s. It is not surprising that most of the world has access to this American fast food. Even some tiny islands have one!
Name for beer in European languages
There are a lot of important things in this world and for this map maker, beer is a priority. But given how many people in so many different countries and cultures love this drink, it is a good call.
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows how every place in Europe says beer in their languages. It is interesting to see how they call it different names. It can be very helpful for those who plan to party away while on a Euro trip.
Most popular tourist destinations in the world
Thanks to Instagram, more people are exploring the world and taking breathtaking pictures of their destinations. Oh how we love to drool over an Instagram feed showing beautiful places. There is no denying that traveling is a great pleasure.
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows which country is the most popular tourist destination based on the number of arrivals they get. Unsurprisingly, America and Europe have been having the most tourists visits.
How autocomplete describes European countries
This map shows how an autocomplete in a search engine describes each country in Europe. For this map, the maker typed “Why is (name of country) so” and takes note of how autocorrect finishes the question.
Source: Nature World Today
As we all know, the most popular searches comes out on top of the suggestions. Of course, many of these words are not accurate. They are merely assumptions. But it is interesting to see how netizens view these European countries.
Most emotional countries
Our emotion’s can often dictate how we react. One’s emotional state is important as it can affect you physically. Thankfully, the world is becoming more aware of the importance of mental health these days.
Source: Nature World Today
Here is a map that shows people’s emotional states per country. According to the map, Russia seems to be the country with the least emotions. USA, Canada, and the Philippines seem to be the most emotional countries.
Most famous brand per US state
There are a lot of major brands that started out in the United States. Some of these are Coca-Cola, Starbucks, FedEx, and Nike. And if you have heard of the fierce American pride, it is no wonder to see locals being fiercely loyal to brands that started in their state.
Source: Nature World Today
Some of these brands have a very strong connection and reputation in their hometown. This map shows how people of each state show an affinity towards a certain brand. Try to see if this is true about your state!
Countries that are more welcoming to foreign tourists
A lot of counties have been relying on their tourism industry to make money. As a result, they always support having exotic, romantic, adventurous, and unique venues to attract tourists from all over the world.
Source: Nature World Today
But there are still some countries that do not really welcome the presence of foreign tourists. Most people would have North Korea in mind but this map shows that other countries actually feel this way.
Most consumed alcoholic drink across the world
We may have different cultures and languages but one thing we do have in common is that every country has alcohol. After all, what better way to sit back and relax than to have a cold alcoholic beverage in hand?
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows the most consumed alcohol per country. As we can see, beer is the preferred drink of choice when it comes to the majority of the world while spirits come in second.
Time zones in Antarctica
As we all know, different countries have different time zones. But in most cases, a country experiences one time zone at the same time. Everyone knows that USA is one country that has different time zones but did you know that Antarctica goes through the same thing?
Source: Nature World Today
This map of Antarctica shows the different time zones each area follows. Isn’t it interesting how even those who are not next to each other go through one time zone while the ones near them are going through a different one? Makes us wonder what traveling around the area feels like.
Driving orientation across the world
We all know that in the UK, they drive on the left side of the road. It can be very confusing for a foreigner to be driving in their territory. But did you know that other countries also drive on the left side of the road?
Source: Nature World Today
According to this map, the UK, Australia, India, and some parts of Africa also drive on the left side of the road. This is not that surprising since these countries have been colonized by the British before.
Citizens that can drink the most alcohol in Europe
When we think about a vacation that can have us wasted and drinking all the time – we turn to Europe. There is a stereotype that Europeans drink a lot. A map was made in 2013 in the hopes that this stereotype could be blamed on a specific country and not Europe as a whole.
Source: Nature World Today
It turns out that those who took the survey think Russia takes the blame for this stereotype. After all, Russians can down a bottle of vodka like it’s just water. Perhaps it is also how they cope so well with the cold temperatures.
Obesity rates per country
An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can lead to obesity. Obesity is a prevalent problem in some countries. The condition alone is not only unhealthy but puts a person at risk for numerous diseases.
Source: Nature World Today
This map outlines the obesity rates per country in the world. It looks like the USA is one of the countries with the highest obesity rates. This is not surprising given all the fast food and junk food in the country.
Redheads in Europe
Redheads easily stand out in the crowd because of their hair. A natural redhead always have a certain charm with their looks. And here, we have found a map of Europe based on the number of redheads living in each country.
Source: Nature World Today
Although there is no clear indication why this is necessary, it does prove one point to the world. The majority of redheads do come from Ireland – it’s not just a stereotype! If you are fairly attracted to redheads, you know where to go!
Countries that do not use the metric system
When it comes to the unit of measurement, the metric system is the one more commonly used across the globe. We just love measuring things in meters and centimeters! But there are still some countries that use the imperial system.
Source: Nature World Today
As we can see from this map, America still uses the imperial system where things are measured in feet, inches, pounds, etc. Myanmar and Liberia are the other countries that still uses it too.
How autocomplete describes American states
Have you ever wondered what netizens say about the US state you live in? Well, this is a map of how Yahoo! autocompletes American states. And here are the most popular results that autocomplete provided.
Source: Nature World Today
According to the map, this is achieved by typing in “(name of state) is” and whatever pops up first is the most frequently searched thing. Some of these autocomplete results are hilarious!
Lightning intensity across the globe
Most people do not realize this but the weather and climate have a great impact on our lives. But as we all know, each country has a different climate and different weather extremities.
Source: Nature World Today
Lightning can be scary for most people. This map shows the lightning intensities across the world. It is interesting to show how certain countries are hit with more lightning compared to other places.
Adults still living with their parents in Europe
Leaving the family home to face the world on your own is a rite of passage. It allows you to move on to a new phase in life where you practice becoming independent. For some, this happens as soon as you turn 18 or 21.
Source: Nature World Today
And we may think that Europeans are very liberated and sophisticated but it turns out that they leave their family nest too late. This is a map of people aged 25 to 34 in Europe that are still living with their parents.
Educational background of country leaders
World leaders are expected to have an impressive educational background. After all, they are doing major decisions for the whole country and its citizens. It is interesting to know what these leaders have studied before they became heads of their governments.
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows the different educational backgrounds of world leaders in 2013. It can be shown that the majority of the world leaders that year had an educational background in economics, business administration, and other business-related courses.
Most listened to music artists in each American state
There are so many great music artists coming from America. But there is no denying that where you were born and raised could have a say on your music preference or which artist you favor.
Source: Nature World Today
This map is created to show which artists are most listened to in each state. According to the results, it is plain to see that the east coast prefers Jay-Z while Drake dominates the southwest coast.
America and the seven deadly sins
We are all familiar with the seven deadly sins – greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, sloth, and pride. This map maker created a way to determine how each state stands with each of the seven deadly sins.
Source: Nature World Today
It really provides an interesting interpretation of which state participates the most when it comes to which deadly sin. And judging from the results, the east and west coast is not looking too good.
Most popular social networks in the world
It would have been so hard to imagine life without social networks these days. It is a great way to communicate and reconnect with a lot of people. But as time passes, our interests change, and our needs in social media changes as well.
Source: Nature World Today
This map is a comparison of social network usage back in 2009 vs. 2012. We can clearly see how Facebook dominated the world back in 2009 but come 2012, we can see that Facebook has more competition.
Most common surnames in the USA
Our surnames are just one of the few markers that help us define our identities as a person. We may not have chosen our surnames but it still helps define who we are and where we come from.
Source: Nature World Today
The results show that the most popular surname across America is Smith. It looks like there is one in every state! Imagine if every Smith in the country was related – that would be one hell of a family reunion!
Most common surnames in Europe
Names do play a large role in our sense of identity and they do not only represent us as individuals but they can represent a culture and a country. Sometimes, you can guess where a person is from by their surname.
Source: Nature World Today
This European map shows the most common surnames for each country. Surprisingly, the most famous American surname, Smith, also makes it to the list of common surnames in Europe.
National IQ scores in the world
The IQ test is one of the most common psychological tests that almost everybody would have to go through. An IQ test is an assessment of a person’s cognitive abilities. The IQ score you get as a result becomes the measure of your intelligence and potential.
Source: Nature World Today
In this map, each country is rated by the national IQ scores of its citizens. This greatly shows the disparities that exist between nations when it comes to getting a quality education.
The original names of some American cities
Hometown pride is big in America. Americans have been taught from a young age not only to be patriotic but also to be proud of where they come from. But most Americans probably do not know the original names of the cities they came from.
Source: Nature World Today
This map shows the original names of some American cities. Some are actually not that bad. Most of these cities have changed their names when they have claimed their independence.
Most photographed places in the world
Breathtaking photographs being uploaded to social media accounts have been a major motivation for people to travel the world. There is so much beauty to discover – both natural and manmade.
Source: Nature World Today
It is no surprise to see that most parts of Europe happen to be the most photographed places in the world. After all, they do have a lot of historical landmarks that people must see at least once in a lifetime.
Most attractive citizens in Europe
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but there is no denying that some specific countries do have objectively beautiful genes. And as if to prove this, someone made a map of the most attractive citizens in Europe back in 2013.
Source: Nature World Today
This map was created in 2013. We can see that Sweden wins this round with 518 points on a scale of 0 to 518. We can’t say how some parts of Europe got less than 10 on the scale though.
Happiness levels across the world
A lot of people believe that the key to living a good life is happiness. But being happy is not as easy as it sounds. There are a lot of factors that can affect one’s happiness and it can be very subjective.
Source: Natural World Today
This map rates the happiness level of each country based on their living conditions, political situation, income, lifestyle, clean water, clean air, and level of freedom. The results can be very revealing about how some countries are doing.
Overpopulation in the world
Some countries have vast land space but often do not have many people living in them because the majority of the space is uninhabitable. And some countries have so much liveable land despite its small size that they risk becoming overpopulated.
Source: Natural World Today
This map points out a crazy reality that more people are living in Asia than there are outside of the highlighted circle. You can just imagine how congested these countries are. It is no wonder most third-world countries are found there too.
Most popular sports across the world
Every country has a dominant sport that the majority of the citizens love. Some are die-hard fans because the sport was created in their own country while some have been influenced by their colonizers.
Source: Natural World Today
In this map, some people might find it surprising that football is the dominant sport across the world. This is no surprise given that England did conquer most of the world back in the day. No wonder FIFA is a huge international event!
Highest paid public employees per state in America
One of the most stable long-term jobs that you can get is a position assigned to you by the government or the state. It also provides you with government benefits that private companies can’t offer.
Source: Natural World Today
This map shows which professions are the highest-paid public employees. And as we can see, most states give higher pay for their football coaches. It just only shows how much importance is placed on football as a sport.
Tolerance towards different races across the world
Racism is a harsh reality that we have despite our very advanced thinking. No matter how open-minded we claim to be, some people still exhibit intolerance towards people of other races.
Source: Natural World Today
This map shows the percentage of people who answered “people of another race” when asked who they do not want to be neighbors with. Thankfully, the majority of the world is very tolerant now.
What each country leads the world in
Each country has something that it is best at or most known for. It’s one of those things that makes each one stand out among the rest. Here is a map that shows what each country is best in.
Source: Natural World Today
Some of this information you probably already know. Such as Brazil leads in having the most FIFA world cup titles. Or that the Antarctic is known for its emperor penguins. Do you agree with what this map says about your country?