Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

IkeRoberts t1_ivf4r3d wrote

Why use a Mercator projection? It is the projection that makes India, and its major customers, the smallest.

−12

IMovedYourCheese t1_ivfyz7f wrote

The map isn't trying to make a point about any county's size, and it is the one most people recognize.

8

IkeRoberts t1_ivga780 wrote

But it does make a point about countries and oceans relative size. It is important when doing data visualization not to have your graphic make points you didn't intend, or points that are contrary to the one you intended.

−2

BadBunnyYonaguni t1_ivfiqzd wrote

The Mercator projection is completely fine, people just use it in the incorrect ways. The map projection was designed for naval navigation, and it works perfectly as such a map. But since it’s so common, people started using it as a catch all map. I don’t really get why it matters if some countries are smaller? Does national pride get hurt? Just odd. I’m British Indian fwiw.

6

IkeRoberts t1_ivfoo23 wrote

If the map is about exports from India, then a projection that represents India accurately and centrally should be a priority.

For data visualization (for which r/dataisbeautiful is a showcase for best practices), it is good to spread out the informative material and minimize (or peripheralize) the unimportant. A projection that wastes half the space on parts of the globe that are not part of the story fails to do so.

3

ixaditya OP t1_ivfpubj wrote

Used tableau, I am not sure what else could i have used. If you know pls tell me what projection would be perfect.

3

IkeRoberts t1_ivfxf9i wrote

Which projections are best suited to communicating the information you want to communicate with this data visualization? It is worth being familiar with them so that you know which is most effective.

1