Fascinating Maps That May Change Your Perspective on the World

Source: Harvard University 
Key Point: The Roman Empire was truly massive 

Imperium Romanum details the topography of the Roman Empire during the second century A.D. This map shows just how wide-ranging and expansive the Empire was, stretching across mountain ranges, countries, cultures, and more.

The Topography of the Roman Empire, Ad 117 @r/MapPorn/Reddit

Ancient Rome spanned almost 1.7 million square miles at its peak in 117 A.D. Though major, GDP-increasing companies like Walmart, Amazon, and more weren’t around back then, Rome was able to create its massive wealth and power by building roads, minting coins, fighting piracy, and beefing up its military domination. 

Source: Reddit (r/MapPorn)
Key Point: The 2023 Super Bowl was an event for the wealthy 

The 2023 Super Bowl drew in a ton of private jets to Phoenix, Arizona. According to the Jackson Jet Center, all four hundred of the jets’ slots were full as of Saturday, February 11, 2023. It makes sense, as the Super Bowl was a place for the wealthy—tickets cost around $7,128, once taxes were factored in.

Private Jets Departing Arizona After the Super Bowl @r/MapPorn/Reddit

Even ad spots were expensive, with USA Today reporting that just one spot cost $6 to $7 million. The 2023 Super Bowl was a windfall for Arizona, which made $600 million from the event. This map shows just how many wealthy attended, as it tracks the many private jets that flew out of Phoenix after the event.

Source: @MattSureLee on Instagram 
Key Point: There’s rivalries almost everywhere in America 

Instagrammer @MattSureLee is known for making hilarious maps, often based on the responses of his thousands of followers. For example, he created this map, “Every State’s Least Favorite State,” to show who every state despises.

Who Every State Hates @FLEDAN/Imgur

Though not quite on the level of Europe, Americans have their rivalries, and this Instagram post nails them. Chances are, Americans are reading this, nodding their heads in agreement about who their state “hates.” 

Source: Reddit (r/MapPorn)
Key Point: America has quite a few cryptids 

America is one of the world’s most advanced nations, but that doesn’t mean its people have let go of their superstitions. Everyone loves their local cryptid, and cities and towns across America all have their own mythical creatures.

Mythical Beasts of the United States of America @r/MapPorn/Reddit

The Banshee of the Badlands, the Mothman, Sinkhole Sam, El Muerto, and more roam the streets and rural lands of the States. These beasts range from terrifying to Disney-like, and all of them are uniquely important to the regions to which they belong. 

Source: Drs. Katzen & Bragin (Western Kazakhstan) 
Key Point: Steppe eagles travel long distances in their youth

Though the Bald Eagle calls Canada, Alaska, northern Mexico, and the U.S. home, other species live around the world, as you can see from this fascinating map. This map tracked a group of twenty eagles over a one-year time period, following their movements and flight pattern across multiple countries. 

Tracking of 20 Eagles Over a One-Year Time Period @r/MapPorn/Reddit

These eagles have more miles on them than a beat-up Honda Civic. According to SSE Renewables, Steppe Eagles (which are pictured here) are migratory birds, able to travel particularly long distances in their youth.

Source: Reddit (r/MapPorn) 
Key Point: The Bible referenced a surprisingly-high number of countries 

In ancient times, people believed that the Bible was written by Moses, who received the stories directly from God himself. That said, since the 1600s, scholars have viewed this Christian text as being the product of anonymous authors, though this is, obviously, in hot dispute.

Countries Mentioned or Referred in the Bible @r/MapPorn/Reddit

Regardless of that issue, we can all agree that the Bible mentions a surprisingly-high number of countries, even though, back in the B.C. era, people had limited knowledge of the world around them. To this day, the Bible remains the world’s best-selling book, with five billion copies sold around the world. Those are sales figures that companies like General Mills, Ford, and more would give anything to have.

Source: Travelerz
Key Point: Walmart dominates the sector

In a nation where corporate giants shape the employment landscape, Walmart has emerged as a formidable force, reigning over America’s private employer sector. With it dominating the sector in an astounding 22 states, including a near-monopoly over the entire southeastern quarter of the country.

Walmart Private Sector Employment @Travlerz2 /Twitter

That being said, the retail behemoth has left an indelible mark on the job market. Walmart’s ability to offer thousands of employment opportunities, coupled with its vast network of stores, has solidified its position at the helm. As the retail landscape continues to evolve, Walmart’s dominance serves as a testament to its enduring influence and unwavering appeal.

Source: Thomas Gable (Voyageurs Wolf Project) 
Key Point: Wolves stick to their own territory 

During the summer, the Voyageurs Wolf Project is in full swing. This Project, headed by Thomas Gable and others, studies the “summer ecology” of wolves in Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. This map shows GPS tracking of several wolves in different packs throughout the Park.

GPS Tracking of 6 Wolf Packs Around Voyageurs National Park @r/MapPorn/Reddit

As you can see, wolves are territorial, and they both fiercely guard their own territory and stay out of others. This is because, if a wolf crosses over into the territory of another pack, this could result in a fatal fight between pack leaders. The only time packs will encroach on each other’s territory is if food is in drastically short supply. 

Source: Reddit (r/MapPorn)
Key Point: Volcanoes on Mars are almost incomprehensibly massive 

Imagine a volcano the size of a state—think of how terrifying that would be. Luckily, we don’t have that here on Earth, but Mars certainly does. Olympus Mons is the largest discovered volcano in our solar system, and it is, as you can see from this map, roughly the size of Arizona.

Largest Volcano on Mars Compared to Arizona @r/MapPorn/Reddit

This massive shield volcano is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest (72,000 feet tall). The last time Olympus Mons exploded was twenty-five million years ago, and experts aren’t ruling out another eruption in the future.

Source: The New York Times 
Key Point: The U.S. is way behind when it comes to this issue 

Though the United States is one of the most developed, first-world nations on Earth, it isn’t infallible. This map shows that the United States is one of just eight countries without paid maternity leave.

Paid Maternity Leave for New Mothers by Country @r/MapPorn/Reddit

While the U.S. offers paid maternity leave for only a few weeks, other countries offer it for twenty-nine weeks. This issue has been a hot-button for maternity advocates in America, with activists claiming that allowing more paid maternity leave wouldn’t just benefit mothers—it would benefit companies, too, because it would reduce turnover.  

Source: Abraham Ortellius 
Key Point: This is the first modern atlas 

This map is 450 years old! Titled Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, this map is the world’s first modern atlas. It was written by Abraham Ortelius with the help of Gillis Hooftman, and it was first published, in Latin, in Antwerp in 1570.

450 Year Old Map @r/MapPorn/Reddit

The collection of maps shows how people thought about the world centuries ago. Ortelius was the first person to observe continental drift, writing in his atlas book that the continent’s coastlines are “so similar…they [must have] been torn apart” in the past.

Source: Explored Planet 
Key Point: Light pollution is very prevalent in Eastern America 

According to the International Dark Sky Association, light pollution costs $3 billion per year. This is $10 per year for every woman, man, and child in America. This map shows just how permeating and widespread light pollution is in the States.

Light Pollution Across the Us @u/rockso1/Reddit

While the West, save for the coastline and major cities, is pretty much dark at night, the East is completely lit-up. Detractors of light pollution state that this problem “generates significant costs,” particularly for astronomy, health, wildlife, and wasted energy. The solution? Let as much of the States go dark at night as possible.

Source: Wikipedia 
Key Point: Flamingos live in a lot more places than we think 

Flamingos, a type of pink, wading bird, live in a lot more places than we think, according to this map. They are prevalent on almost every continent, and you can find the American Flamingo distributed throughout the Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Bonaire, Mexico, Venezuela, and Cuba.

The Surprising Range of Flamingos @r/MapPorn/Reddit

Happily, these tropical birds of paradise are listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN. Flamingos are very important to the ecosystem as a keystone wetlands species; without them, many other animals couldn’t inhabit the area.

Source: FEDIAF 
Key Point: Western and Eastern Europe are split on this issue 

Are you a dog or cat person? In Europe, people are just as split on this question as they are in America. This map shows the number of households that own either cats or dogs, displaying cats in orange and dogs in blue.

Cats or Dogs in Europe @r/MapPorn/Reddit

Western Europe seems to love its dogs, while Eastern Europe tends to prefer feline friends. Pets are big business in Europe, no matter whether they are felines or canines. According to Globe Newswire, the pet care market on the continent is worth well over $40 billion.