Worldmapper: Humanising Geography

Worldmapper is an extraordinary project out of Sheffield Uni in the UK. Countries represented not by their land mass, but by their human activity. The top map shows Passenger Cars (note how fat the northern hemisphere is, compared to the south. The bottom map illustrates population (the big blobs being China and India). Now look again at Cars for those two nations. Yet compare tiny New Zealand with the entire African continent for cars per 100 people. Oh, and that purple lump to the right is Japan!

Filed this under ‘Travel and Nature’ because many of us are unaware of our place in the world. What these maps reveal, with striking visuals, is the staggering wealth of the industrialised nations in relationship to much of Asia, South America and particularly Africa. They demonstrate so clearly the North South divide between the haves and don’t haves. We whinge that energy saving, compact fluorescent bulbs give off “too white a light”, never sparing a thought for the millions that don’t even have electricity.

Nearly 30 broad categories are covered from inanimate issues like: Resources, Fuel and Production, through to real human drama, such as Poverty, Housing and Education. And there are multiple maps under each category. This is very important work that cuts through political rhetoric and as the researchers suggest, shows us “the world as we’ve never seen it.” ::Worldmapper.