Flat, two-dimensional maps can look different because the world is actually curved. This means map-makers need to make compromises when drawing maps. These different map representations are called ...

What to do? He decided that a magnificent gift—a lavish map of the world—might maneuver him into the new king’s good graces. D’Annebault hired Pierre Desceliers, one of the best ...

Explore what the world’s new coastlines would look like. 8 min read This story appears in the September 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine. The maps here show the world as it is now ...