Why Greenwich?

In 1884, the International Meridian Conference selected the meridian passing through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich in London as the international reference for longitude. The decision helped establish a common framework for coordinates and timekeeping.

Several countries had previously used their own prime meridians, including France, which referenced the Paris Meridian. Choosing the global 0° line was therefore also a geopolitical decision about whose standards, charts and navigation practices would prevail.

Why does Greenland look so large?

The Earth is curved while a map is flat, so every world map projection introduces distortion. The Mercator projection enlarges areas toward the poles, which is why Greenland often appears far larger in relation to equatorial regions than it is.

Gerardus Mercator

Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594) was a Flemish cartographer. His 1569 world map became especially useful for navigation because lines of constant compass bearing, known as rhumb lines, appear as straight lines.

Image: Wikimedia Commons.