Editing 1799: Bad Map Projection: Time Zones
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| titletext = This is probably the first projection in cartographic history that can be criticized for its disproportionate focus on Finland, Mongolia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. | | titletext = This is probably the first projection in cartographic history that can be criticized for its disproportionate focus on Finland, Mongolia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | + | A [http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/bad_map_projection_time_zones_2x.png double sized version] of this image can be found by clicking the image at the comic on xkcd.com. | |
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|[[#Table of countries and their time zones|Table]] now has all relevant countries and is sortable. But needs to be filled out for each country with explanation of its time zone and why it looks as it does on the map. (Especially those from title text needs explanation like that). Some of the info already given in the explanation could be moved to the table.}} | |
− | This comic shows a {{w|Map projection|map projection}} in which countries are placed according to the {{w|Time zone|time zones}} that they fall under. | + | This comic shows a {{w|Map projection|map projection}} in which countries are placed according to the {{w|Time zone|time zones}} that they fall under. This is thus the second comic in the series of [[:Category:Bad Map Projections|Bad Map Projections]] and it seems that [[Randall]], being Randall, runs with the idea as he has made yet another map projection that is not only inaccurate, but utterly unusable, though less so than the previous one. |
− | The first "Liquid Resize" was #107, while this comic features #79. Since the ''liquid resize'' was purely aesthetic, whereas this one at least conveys some meaningful information it makes sense that this projection is ranked higher. | + | The first was released just over a month before this one and was called [[1784: Bad Map Projection: Liquid Resize]]. "Liquid Resize" was #107, while this comic features #79. Since the ''liquid resize'' was purely aesthetic, whereas this one at least conveys some meaningful information it makes sense that this projection is ranked higher. |
Conceptually, the series is a comment on the fact that there is no perfect way to draw a map of the world on a flat piece of paper. Each one will introduce a different type of distortion, and the best projection for a given situation is sometimes very disputed. Randall previously explored 12 different projections in [[977: Map Projections]], and expressed his disdain for some types he sees as less efficient but whose users feel superior. None of them are really good as any 2D map projection will always distort in a way the spherical reality, and a map projection that is useful for one aspect (like navigation, geographical shapes and masses visualization, etc.) will not be so for all the others. Local maps of smaller areas can be quite accurate, but the idea of both these map projection comics is to map the entire globe on a flat surface. | Conceptually, the series is a comment on the fact that there is no perfect way to draw a map of the world on a flat piece of paper. Each one will introduce a different type of distortion, and the best projection for a given situation is sometimes very disputed. Randall previously explored 12 different projections in [[977: Map Projections]], and expressed his disdain for some types he sees as less efficient but whose users feel superior. None of them are really good as any 2D map projection will always distort in a way the spherical reality, and a map projection that is useful for one aspect (like navigation, geographical shapes and masses visualization, etc.) will not be so for all the others. Local maps of smaller areas can be quite accurate, but the idea of both these map projection comics is to map the entire globe on a flat surface. | ||
− | Time zones are based on the way the Sun shines on the Earth, so these time zones, which are based on the sun's position in the sky, would best be divided by roughly longitudinal (North-to-South Pole) lines. However, this is not the case in practice, as the defined time zones tend to have very jagged boundaries, and furthermore some countries use a completely different time than the zones they are in, at least for some parts (see {{w|China}}). Since Randall knows he cannot fix the boundaries of the time zones, he instead "fixes" the world by making a map appear to match up with the time zone system, as shown in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/1f/1799_Map_with_Labeled_time_zones.PNG this map], also posted in the [[#Map with Labeled time zones|trivia]]. This results in bizarre distortions such as the large, gum-like strands of {{w|Greenland}} (these are the towns of {{w|Danmarkshavn}} (UTC) and {{w|Ittoqqortoormiit}} (UTC-1), which use different time zones to the rest of the island) and three enormous gulfs in {{w|Russia}} ( | + | Time zones are based on the way the Sun shines on the Earth, so these time zones, which are based on the sun's position in the sky, would best be divided by roughly longitudinal (North-to-South Pole) lines. However, this is not the case in practice, as the defined time zones tend to have very jagged boundaries, and furthermore some countries use a completely different time than the zones they are in, at least for some parts (see {{w|China}}). Since Randall knows he cannot fix the boundaries of the time zones, he instead "fixes" the world by making a map appear to match up with the time zone system, as shown in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/1/1f/1799_Map_with_Labeled_time_zones.PNG this map], also posted in the [[#Map with Labeled time zones|trivia]]. This results in bizarre distortions such as the large, gum-like strands of {{w|Greenland}} (these are the towns of {{w|Danmarkshavn}} (UTC) and {{w|Ittoqqortoormiit}} (UTC-1), which use different time zones to the rest of the island) and three enormous gulfs in {{w|Russia}} (there is no oblast in Russia using those time zones, hence the giant gap). See also [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/5/5b/1799_overlay.png this map] with a [[#Time zone map overlayed the comic|time zone map overlayed the comic]]. |
The effect of this map is to "punish" large countries with a single time zone - for instance, China, which uses UTC+8 across the whole country - and countries that share large time zones - for instance, almost all of {{w|Europe}} is packed into the Central European UTC+1 zone - by shrinking these down. Conversely, countries that use multiple time zones without filling them out are stretched out - for example, the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (DRC) and {{w|Mongolia}}, as pointed out in the title text - as are slim countries that do not fill out the full width of their time zones but where their neighbors use different timezones so they have to fill the entire width of their time zone. For instance {{w|Finland}} (also mentioned in the title text) and the {{w|Baltic countries}}, who look huge because their western and eastern neighbors do not use the UTC+2 Eastern Europe time, and thus have to fill out the distance between the countries that are pushed to the zones on their east/west borders. | The effect of this map is to "punish" large countries with a single time zone - for instance, China, which uses UTC+8 across the whole country - and countries that share large time zones - for instance, almost all of {{w|Europe}} is packed into the Central European UTC+1 zone - by shrinking these down. Conversely, countries that use multiple time zones without filling them out are stretched out - for example, the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (DRC) and {{w|Mongolia}}, as pointed out in the title text - as are slim countries that do not fill out the full width of their time zones but where their neighbors use different timezones so they have to fill the entire width of their time zone. For instance {{w|Finland}} (also mentioned in the title text) and the {{w|Baltic countries}}, who look huge because their western and eastern neighbors do not use the UTC+2 Eastern Europe time, and thus have to fill out the distance between the countries that are pushed to the zones on their east/west borders. | ||
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| {{w|South America}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-5 – UTC-3 || || Not labeled. | | {{w|South America}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-5 – UTC-3 || || Not labeled. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Colombia}} || UTC-5 || | + | | {{w|Colombia}} || UTC-5 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Venezuela}} || UTC-4 || | + | | {{w|Venezuela}} || UTC-4 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Guyana}} || UTC-4 || | + | | {{w|Guyana}} || UTC-4 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|French Guiana}} (labeled Suriname) || UTC-3 || | + | | {{w|French Guiana}} (labeled Suriname) || UTC-3 || || Labeled incorrectly. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Suriname}}<br>(labeled F.G.) || UTC-3 || | + | | {{w|Suriname}}<br>(labeled F.G.) || UTC-3 || || Labeled incorrectly. |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Ecuador}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-6 – UTC-5 || || Not labeled. UTC-6 is used only on {{w|Galápagos Islands}} (not shown). | | {{w|Ecuador}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-6 – UTC-5 || || Not labeled. UTC-6 is used only on {{w|Galápagos Islands}} (not shown). | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Peru}} || UTC-5 || | + | | {{w|Peru}} || UTC-5 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Brazil}} || UTC-5 – UTC-3 || | + | | {{w|Brazil}} || UTC-5 – UTC-3 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Bolivia}} || UTC-4 || | + | | {{w|Bolivia}} || UTC-4 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Paraguay}} (Par.) || UTC-4 || | + | | {{w|Paraguay}} (Par.) || UTC-4 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Chile}} || UTC-5, UTC-3 || || UTC-5 is used only on {{w|Easter Island}} (not shown). | | {{w|Chile}} || UTC-5, UTC-3 || || UTC-5 is used only on {{w|Easter Island}} (not shown). | ||
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| {{w|Argentina}} || UTC-3 || ||This is stretched out vertically to fit the entire country into the UTC-3 timezone that it uses. | | {{w|Argentina}} || UTC-3 || ||This is stretched out vertically to fit the entire country into the UTC-3 timezone that it uses. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Uruguay}} || UTC-3 || | + | | {{w|Uruguay}} || UTC-3 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Europe}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-4 – UTC+4 || Compressed with the countries of central and western Europe pressed closer in east-west direction while eastern countries are stretched in all directions. Iceland is moved east. Greenland is stretched horizontally and got strange protruding peninsulas. || Not labeled. Europe uses mostly UTC+1, which causes severe distortion. Disproportionally smaller areas utilize UTC±0, UTC+2 and UTC+3. UTC-4, UTC-1 and UTC+4 are used only marginally. Greenland, even if it belongs to North America geographically, is counted here as well as it lies within the Denmark rule. | | {{w|Europe}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC-4 – UTC+4 || Compressed with the countries of central and western Europe pressed closer in east-west direction while eastern countries are stretched in all directions. Iceland is moved east. Greenland is stretched horizontally and got strange protruding peninsulas. || Not labeled. Europe uses mostly UTC+1, which causes severe distortion. Disproportionally smaller areas utilize UTC±0, UTC+2 and UTC+3. UTC-4, UTC-1 and UTC+4 are used only marginally. Greenland, even if it belongs to North America geographically, is counted here as well as it lies within the Denmark rule. | ||
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| {{w|Iceland}} || UTC±0 || No shape distortions, but different location. || Iceland, even if it geographically lies mostly within the UTC-1 time zone, uses UTC±0. It is therefore moved east on Randall's map. | | {{w|Iceland}} || UTC±0 || No shape distortions, but different location. || Iceland, even if it geographically lies mostly within the UTC-1 time zone, uses UTC±0. It is therefore moved east on Randall's map. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Norway}} || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Norway}} || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Sweden}} || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Sweden}} || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Finland}} || UTC+2 || Stretched horizontally because it borders Norway on the north, which uses UTC+1. || | | {{w|Finland}} || UTC+2 || Stretched horizontally because it borders Norway on the north, which uses UTC+1. || | ||
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| {{w|Armenia}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+4 || Displaced east to Caspian Sea coast. || Not labeled. A tiny patch of land on the Caspian Sea coast just north of Iran can be tentatively identified as Armenia. However, Armenia ia a landlocked country in reality. | | {{w|Armenia}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+4 || Displaced east to Caspian Sea coast. || Not labeled. A tiny patch of land on the Caspian Sea coast just north of Iran can be tentatively identified as Armenia. However, Armenia ia a landlocked country in reality. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Africa}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC±0 – UTC+3 || | + | | {{w|Africa}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC±0 – UTC+3 || || Not labeled. |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Western Sahara}} (labeled Morocco) || UTC±0 || || Labeled incorrectly. | | {{w|Western Sahara}} (labeled Morocco) || UTC±0 || || Labeled incorrectly. | ||
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| {{w|Mali}} || UTC±0 || || | | {{w|Mali}} || UTC±0 || || | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Niger}} || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Niger}} || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Libya}} || UTC+2 || Stretched vertically | Nations located to the south of Libya tend to use either UTC+1 (Chad) or UTC+3 (Sudan), but not UTC+2, which Libya uses. In order to fill in this area, Libya, one of the few countries in the area which uses the intermediate UTC+2, has been used to demonstrate the two-hour gap. || | | {{w|Libya}} || UTC+2 || Stretched vertically | Nations located to the south of Libya tend to use either UTC+1 (Chad) or UTC+3 (Sudan), but not UTC+2, which Libya uses. In order to fill in this area, Libya, one of the few countries in the area which uses the intermediate UTC+2, has been used to demonstrate the two-hour gap. || | ||
Line 288: | Line 288: | ||
| {{w|Cameroon}} (Cam.) || UTC+1 || || | | {{w|Cameroon}} (Cam.) || UTC+1 || || | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Central African Republic}} (C.A.R.) || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Central African Republic}} (C.A.R.) || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Ethiopia}} || UTC+3 || | + | | {{w|Ethiopia}} || UTC+3 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Somalia}} || UTC+3 || || | | {{w|Somalia}} || UTC+3 || || | ||
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| {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (Dem. Rep. of the Congo) || UTC+1 || || | | {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (Dem. Rep. of the Congo) || UTC+1 || || | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Rwanda}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Rwanda}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || || Not labeled. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Burundi}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Burundi}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || || Not labeled. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Uganda}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+3 || | + | | {{w|Uganda}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+3 || || Not labeled. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Kenya}} || UTC+3 || | + | | {{w|Kenya}} || UTC+3 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Angola}} || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Angola}} || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Zambia}} || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Zambia}} || UTC+2 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Malawi}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Malawi}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || || Not labeled. |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Tanzania}} || UTC+3 || | + | | {{w|Tanzania}} || UTC+3 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Namibia}} || UTC+1 || | + | | {{w|Namibia}} || UTC+1 || || |
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Botswana}} (Bots.) || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Botswana}} (Bots.) || UTC+2 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Zimbabwe}} (Zimb.) || UTC+2 || || | | {{w|Zimbabwe}} (Zimb.) || UTC+2 || || | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|Mozambique}} || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|Mozambique}} || UTC+2 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Madagascar}} || UTC+3 || None. || Madagascar has the correct shape and position. | | {{w|Madagascar}} || UTC+3 || None. || Madagascar has the correct shape and position. | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | {{w|South Africa}} || UTC+2 || | + | | {{w|South Africa}} || UTC+2 || || |
|- | |- | ||
| {{w|Lesotho}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || || Not labeled. | | {{w|Lesotho}}<br>(not labeled) || UTC+2 || || Not labeled. | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
:Bad map projection #79: | :Bad map projection #79: | ||
− | :<big>Time Zones</big> | + | :<big>'''Time Zones'''</big> |
:Where each country '''''should''''' be, | :Where each country '''''should''''' be, | ||
:based on its time zone(<small>s</small>) | :based on its time zone(<small>s</small>) | ||
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[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
[[Category:Bad Map Projections]] | [[Category:Bad Map Projections]] | ||
− |