strange maps an atlas of cartographic curiosities

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time.Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks.To learn more about weird geography have a look at the books below:

One final interesting fact, that shows just how big the Pacific Ocean is, is that it contains its own antipodes. If you want even more facts and information have a look at the Wikipedia’s antipodes page.

By definition, the North Pole and the South Pole are antipodes.

Approximately 15% of land territory is antipodal to other land, representing approximately 4.4% of the Earth’s surface.

The countries with the most other countries as Antipodes are: New Zealand (12), France (12), Brazil (9), Indonesia (8), Peru (7), United States (7), United Kingdom (7) and China (6).

Taiwan (formerly called Formosa) is partly antipodal to the province of Formosa in Argentina.

Ulan Ude (Russia) - Puerto Natales (Chile).

Wellington New Zealand) - Alaejos (Spain).

Christchurch (New Zealand) - A Coruña (Spain).

Shanghai and Buenos Aires are within 380km of being antipodes of each other.

Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are antipodal to East Antarctica.

The the Malay Archipelago is antipodal to the Amazon Basin.

The good news is that most Kiwis would end up in Spain.

Of course ending up in an Ocean makes sense when you consider that roughly 71% of the earth is water and only 29% is land.

Australians, who along with New Zealanders are sometimes referred to as Antipodeans, would end up in the Atlantic.

Similarly, most Europeans and Africans would end up in the Pacific Ocean.

Most likely you’ll end up somewhere in the Indian ocean.

If you dig from any point in the US you will not end up in China.

There are a few interesting things to point out about antipodes: In geography, points on the other side of the world are known as antipodes. The map above shows where you’d end up if you dug a tunnel straight through the earth and came out the other side.

Strange maps an atlas of cartographic curiosities