Equal-area Projection

Definition

An equal-area projection is a map that shows regions that are the same size on the Earth as they are on the map. This means all areas, whether countries, continents or oceans, have the same proportional relationship to their actual sizes on Earth.

Analogy

Think of an orange peel. If you try to flatten it out, it will distort in shape but not in size. That's what an equal-area projection does - it might distort shapes a bit, but keeps the area accurate.

Related terms

Mercator Projection: A type of map projection where longitude and latitude lines intersect at right angles and areas near poles appear larger than they actually are.

Conformal Projection: A type of map projection that maintains shape accurately but distorts area.

Cylindrical Projection: A type of map projection where a cylinder is wrapped around a globe (like earth), often distorting areas far from the equator.