<p>I used go-cart.com to generate a cartogram showing every country the same size. It looks like this:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/uatTG.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/uatTG.png" alt="World cartogram showing every country the same size" /></a></p>
<p>Generated today at <a href="https://go-cart.io/cartogram" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://go-cart.io/cartogram</a> - Gastner MT, Seguy V, More P. Fast low-based algorithm for creating density-equalizing map projections. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115(10):E2156–E2164 (2018).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-20T20:39:37.900Z
2024-01-20T20:39:37.900Z
bdsl
<p>I am sorry, but this type of <em>linear</em> map can't exist. You said that you want to minimize differences, so you want to make small countries bigger. But unfortunately, big countries become bigger too (because of linear transformation), so that's not the solution.</p>
<p>I can only think of scaling individual portions of some standard projection. For example, you could scale Europe a little bit because of many small countries. You could also just scale the islands in the Oceania, but not the distances between them. Oops, it seems like we got too far into cheating, but as long as scaling countries to minimize differences is the only thing you want to do, there is no problem. Of course, your decision is the last.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/6535/keith-mcclary">@KeithMcClary</a> pointed out in his comment, this type of map is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartogram" rel="nofollow noreferrer">cartogram</a>. Thank you for this useful piece of information!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-01T21:53:05.603Z
2021-03-02T19:38:17.017Z
2021-03-02T19:38:17.017Z
User123
<p>I have an odd map projection requirement, but I would like a world map projection where even very small countries, like Luxembourg or Belgium are still visible when also showing China and Canada on the same map. The idea is to use this map to show reach and engagement with the hue and therefore a map projection that minimises the area differences would be great as it maximises visibility for small countries for a given map size. Obviously angles, area and distances would be distorted, but as long as the country is recognisable (so not like some maps used in electoral mapping) that is fine. I guess rectangular maps would be great and the highest latitudes can be cut. Any ideas?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-02T00:30:02.183Z
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartogram There is software for making these, eg.: https://www.r-graph-gallery.com/cartogram.html
Keith McClary
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-03T03:01:47.293Z
[go-cart](https://go-cart.io/) is an online Cartogram maker. I tried it with Iceland, which has only 8 provinces.
Keith McClary
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-06T01:34:07.677Z
Different but related, and potentially of some help: [Is there a map that displays every country at its correct relative size?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/8242/6031)
uhoh
<mapping><projection>
map projections that minimises differences
ic_fl2
# map projections that minimises differences

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-01)

I have an odd map projection requirement, but I would like a world map projection where even very small countries, like Luxembourg or Belgium are still visible when also showing China and Canada on the same map. The idea is to use this map to show reach and engagement with the hue and therefore a map projection that minimises the area differences would be great as it maximises visibility for small countries for a given map size. Obviously angles, area and distances would be distorted, but as long as the country is recognisable (so not like some maps used in electoral mapping) that is fine. I guess rectangular maps would be great and the highest latitudes can be cut. Any ideas?

**Tags:** mapping, projection

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartogram There is software for making these, eg.: https://www.r-graph-gallery.com/cartogram.html  
> **username_1**: [go-cart](https://go-cart.io/) is an online Cartogram maker. I tried it with Iceland, which has only 8 provinces.  
> **username_2**: Different but related, and potentially of some help: [Is there a map that displays every country at its correct relative size?](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/q/8242/6031)  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-01-20. Score: 1

I used go-cart.com to generate a cartogram showing every country the same size. It looks like this:

[![World cartogram showing every country the same size](https://i.sstatic.net/uatTG.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/uatTG.png)

Generated today at <https://go-cart.io/cartogram> - Gastner MT, Seguy V, More P. Fast low-based algorithm for creating density-equalizing map projections. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115(10):E2156–E2164 (2018).


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### Answer by username_4 on 2021-03-01. Score: 1

I am sorry, but this type of *linear* map can't exist. You said that you want to minimize differences, so you want to make small countries bigger. But unfortunately, big countries become bigger too (because of linear transformation), so that's not the solution.

I can only think of scaling individual portions of some standard projection. For example, you could scale Europe a little bit because of many small countries. You could also just scale the islands in the Oceania, but not the distances between them. Oops, it seems like we got too far into cheating, but as long as scaling countries to minimize differences is the only thing you want to do, there is no problem. Of course, your decision is the last.

As [@username_1](https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/6535/username_1) pointed out in his comment, this type of map is called [cartogram](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartogram). Thank you for this useful piece of information!


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