Around the World in 80 Ways: Exploring Our Planet Through Maps and Data

225 Pages·2023·25.433 MB·English

by  Stephen Webb

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Around the World in 80 Ways
Stephen Webb
Around the World in 80 Ways
Exploring Our Planet Through Maps and Data
StephenWebb
DCQE
UniversityofPortsmouth
Portsmouth,UK
ISBN978-3-031-02439-9 ISBN978-3-031-02440-5 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02440-5
#TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2023
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broadcasting,reproductiononmicrofilmsorinanyotherphysicalway,andtransmissionorinformationstorageand
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developed.
Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthispublicationdoesnot
imply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfromtherelevantprotectivelawsand
regulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
Thepublisher,theauthors,andtheeditorsaresafetoassumethattheadviceandinformationinthisbookarebelievedto
betrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernortheauthorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,
expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinorforanyerrorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeen
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ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG
Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland
To Chris Caron, Angela Lahee, and Lisa Scalone
who have always been a delight to work with
Acknowledgments
IwouldliketothanktheOpenSourceandtheCreativeCommonscommunities.Withouttheir
generosity, and the giving of their time and knowledge, the writing of this book would have
beenadifficultandarduoustask.Thankstothem,thiswasafunprojectforme.Iwouldalso
like to thank Alina Maniar and Carl Berndtsson for kindly allowing the reproduction of
photographs.
IamparticularlygratefultoBrianCleggforhisextensive,expert,andinsightfulcomments
onanearlydraftofthemanuscript.Anymeritsthisbookmightpossesswillbeinlargepartdue
toBrian’sinput.Themistakes,ofcourse,areallmyown.LisaScalonehasonceagainprovided
brillianteditorialadvice.
Finally,asalways,IwouldliketothankHeikeandJessicaforeverything.
vii
Contents
MappingtheWorld. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1 MapProjections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 MapConventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3 WhatIsaCountryAnyway?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4 VisualisingtheData. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 4
5 CollectingandInterpretingtheData. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
6 AMomentinTime. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . 6
7 Questions,Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
TheWorldItself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1 Earth’sPoles(Map1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 Meteorites(Map2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 Waterworld(Map3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4 GettingAwayfromItAll(Map4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5 TheLongestStraightLineYouCanSail(Map5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6 TheLongestStraightLineYouCanWalkWithoutGettingYourFeet
Wet(Map6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
7 VolcanicEruptionsOverthePast12,000Years(Map7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
8 Forests(Map8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
9 ChemicalElementsNamedAfterPlacesonEarth(Map9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
10 Earth’sPhosphorus(Map10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
TheWorldofCountries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
11 CountriesNamedAfterPeople(Map11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
12 TheGenderGap(Map12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
13 FemaleLeaders(Map13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
14 FlagsContainingRed(Map14). .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . 46
15 PassportColours(Map15). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
16 Driving:LeftorRight?(Map16). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
17 CapitalPunishment(Map17). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
18 PressFreedom(Map18). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 55
19 DominanceofaCapitalCity(Map19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
20 PopulationDensity(Map20). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
TheWorldPerturbedbyPeople. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 63
21 CarbonDioxideEmissions(Map21). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
22 MyShort-HaulCarbonFootprint(Map22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
23 BusiestAirlineRoutes(Map23). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
24 RenewableElectricity(Map24). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
25 NuclearPowerGeneration(Map25). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
26 Trash(Map26). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
27 PlasticWaste(Map27). . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
28 PesticideUse(Map28). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 81
ix
x Contents
29 MammalSpeciesUnderThreat(Map29). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
30 NightSkyBrightness(Map30). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
TheWorldoftheBuiltEnvironment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
31 HomesatRiskofRisingSeaLevels(Map31). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
32 Lighthouses(Map32). . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . 90
33 WorldHeritageSites(Map33). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
34 RomanAmphitheatres(Map34). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
35 The100TallestBuildings(Map35). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
36 Spaceports(Map36). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
37 The500MostPowerfulSupercomputers(Map37). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
38 MainsFrequency(Map38). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
39 SharingaMcDonald’s(Map39). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
40 SoccerStadia(Map40). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
TheWorldofThoughts,Ideas,andBeliefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
41 TheMostComplexMachineEverBuilt(Map41). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
42 ScientificProductivity(Map42). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
43 IntellectualProperty(Map43). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
44 ViewsontheSafetyofVaccines(Map44). . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . 119
45 GoodatMaths?(Map45). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
46 Literacy(Map46). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
47 MarkingTime(Map47). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
48 UFOSightings(Map48). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
49 HowtheWorldBelieves(Map49). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
50 TheHappinessofNations(Map50). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
TheWorldofWellbeing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
51 Homicide(Map51). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
52 Suicide(Map52). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
53 ObesityinAdults(Map53). . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . .. . . 138
54 AlcoholConsumption(Map54). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
55 RoadTrafficDeaths(Map55). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
56 IncidenceofMalaria(Map56). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
57 ExperienceofPainYesterday(Map57). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
58 HowtheWorldDies(Map58). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
59 TheLifeExpectancyGenderGap(Map59). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
60 LifeExpectancyatBirth(Map60). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
TheWorldofSportandLeisure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
61 FootballWorldCup(Map61). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
62 SuccessattheSummerOlympics(Map62). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
63 SuccessattheSummerParalympics(Map63). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
64 ChessPlayingStrength(Map64). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
65 Shakespeare’sWorld(Map65). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
66 NobelPrizeforLiterature(Map66). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
67 GoingtotheMovies(Map67). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
68 ComputerGames(Map68). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
69 WhattheWorldIsSearchingFor(Map69). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
70 ActiveonSocialMedia(Map70). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
TheWorldofEconomics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
71 AccessingCash(Map71). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
72 UnitsofCurrency(Map72). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
73 GoldReserves(Map73). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Contents xi
74 TheIndebtednessofNations(Map74). .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 185
75 StandardofLiving(Map75). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 187
76 BigApple(Map76). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
77 InternationalTourism(Map77). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
78 MilitaryExpenditure(Map78). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
79 AccesstoElectricity(Map79). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
80 CatchingFish(Map80). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
AppendixA:Afterword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
AppendixB:NotesandSources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
AppendixC:TechnicalAppendix. .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 207
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Mapping the World
Over the years I’ve had discussions with people who hold, have an allergy to science. I didn’t realise that some people
shall we say, opinions that contradict mainstream scientific setthebarlowwhenitcomestoevidencethatmightsupport
thought. Often, I felt, my interlocutors—anti-vaxxers, cli- their beliefs but impossibly high for evidence that might
mate-change deniers, flat-Earthers, and others who discern challengethem.Mychartschangednominds.
conspiracy where the rest of us see science—refused to Nevertheless,Ienjoyedtheprocessofmakingthemaps—
acceptthathumanactivitycanimpacttheglobe(“we’rejust so I made more of them. I made 80, in fact, some quirky,
onespecies;howcanwecauseclimatechange?”)oreventhat others heartbreaking. They fall naturally into eight themes,
there is a globe (“if Earth is curved, how come we can and I’ve collected them here. However, as anti-vaxxers,
sometimes see very distant skyscrapers?”). How can they climate-change deniers, and flat-Earthers would quickly
besoignorantoftheworld,I’dwonder. point out, my maps deceive. How do I deceive thee? Let
And then I read Hans Rosling’s book Factfulness, the mecounttheways...
introduction to which contains a dozen simple questions
about the world. Alongside each question Rosling offered
three possible answers. I got four answers correct: the same 1 Map Projections
asachimpanzeewouldscorewereittopointrandomlyatthe
page.IconsoledmyselfwiththethoughtthatRoslingposed All maps project the surface of a three-dimensional sphere
thosesamequestionstoalmost12,000peoplein14countries (in other words, Earth’s surface) onto a two-dimensional
and not a single person got all of them right. The average space (such as the page of a book). It’s mathematically
score was just two correct answers (worse, then, than a impossible to do that without distorting something. This
chimpanzee) and 1800 people got every question wrong. It factispresumablyofnointeresttoflat-Earthers,butitshould
seemsthatallofus,Nobelprizewinnersincluded,areigno- bothertherestofus.OnecanprojectEarth’scurvedsurface
rantaboutmanyaspectsofourworld.Butifmyownknowl- ontoaplaneinaninfinitenumberofdifferentways,andallof
edgewasshaky,howcouldIingoodconsciencearguewith them distort the ‘truth’ in some way. The question is: what
the anti-vaxxers, the climate-change deniers, and the flat- distortion are we willing to accept and what features do we
Earthers? wanttopreserve?
Igotintothehabitoftestingmyintuitionagainstthemost A map has four basic characteristics—area, direction,
robustdataIcouldfind.SoIaskedmyselfquestionssuchas: distance, and shape. Map projections differ in how they try
Whatisthecommonestcauseofdeathindifferentcountries? to preserve these characteristics. In my primary school the
DodifferentnationalitiessearchGooglefordifferenttermsor mapadorningthewallwasaMercatorprojection.AMercator
are people across the globe interested in the same things? mapisusefulforsailors:itpreservesdirections,soanycourse
Which nations generate the most trash? At the same time I ofconstantbearingappearsasastraight-linesegmentonthe
discoveredthat,using thepowerofmodernGISsoftware,it map. Thedownside isthat,whileareas areaccuratecloseto
iseasytocreatemapsofthesedata—andamapisfareasierto theequator,areasinflateasoneheadstowardsthepoles.For
graspthanatableofnumbers. years, thanks to the Mercator map hanging on my school
After making a few maps I hoped they would help me wall, I believed Antarctica is Earth’s largest continent and
prove mycase when Igotinto discussionswith people who GreenlandrivalsAmericainsize.
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