Question:
Seeing as the world is round, why is america in the west and china in the east (for example) on the world map.?
(Posted by: John on 2012-05-15 04:52:43)
So the world is round and the map of the world is a sphere which has been 'unwrapped ' and flattened to represent the world. It seems to me that because the world is round, the map of the world could be the representation of the world unwrapped at any point (so that russia could be the far the left of the map and the american could be on the east)...So who decided that the map of the world would be laid out as it is? I suspect that it is because of the fact that the sun rises in the east so the first country to see the rising sun is considered the furthest east (but I can 't find anything on google to support this theory). Many thanks :) WOW...first time user and I am amazed at how quickly people have answered...Some really good answers, I feel like I should be accepting one as a definitive answer? (How is this done?) Anyway although it looks like the map is as it is because of how the world was explored etc, I am suprised that some countries (perhaps the prouder ones) have not protested and decided that they want to be the center of the map and created their own version (or perhaps they have)! Any ideas? WOW...first time user and I am amazed at how quickly people have answered...Some really good answers, I feel like I should be accepting one as a definitive answer? (How is this done?) Anyway although it looks like the map is as it is because of how the world was explored etc, I am suprised that some countries (perhaps the prouder ones) have not protested and decided that they want to be the center of the map and created their own version (or perhaps they have)! Any ideas?
MAP MAKING WAS MADE AGES AGO, AND IT WAS THE UK WHO MADE THE FIRST WORLD MAP SO THEY WERE IN CENTRE AS YOU MAY NOTICE AND AMERICA LEFT RUSSIA RIGHT, ALSO NEW DAY BEGINS IN AUSTRALIA THEY ARE THE FISRT TO CELEBRATE NEW YEARS DAY AND AMERICA IS LAST
The meridian line, that 's 0 degrees is in the UK, so from there China is east and the US is west. Some more here...as to why. wiki.answers.com/ Q/ Why_does_the_prime_meridian_pass_through_Greenwich_England en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/ Greenwich_Mean_Time How do you pick one as best answer ?...see link. help.yahoo.com/ l/ uk/ yahoo/ answers/ vote/ vote-207284.html;_ylt= AjQimvpwn8qik_.MRxsZcS2s3iR4
The center of the map is the prime meridian.
What good question.This is one of those things that we accept without knowing the actual reason why. The sun rising in the east is a good probability. I think it could be that the known world was basically Europe in history with having to travel east to India, China etc etc. Waiting for further answers with you.
I reckon its got a lot to do with exploration and the first mapmakers placing europe in the middle. as explores worked outwards they found america to the west of europe and china and the middle east to the east. probably a simplified explanation and knowing me i 'm probably wrong.
By doing it as it is done traditionally it puts more of the points of interest in the middle and the pacific ocean at the perimeter