27.08.2011The amount of different types and variations of
map projections is nowadays grown up to more than 200. They vary in
properties and usage:
- for the
display of topographic data maily conformal projections are
used
- for
thematic and statistical data very often equivalent
projections are used, or also equidistant.
- for
navigation, conformal projections are used. A very
often used projection therefor is/was the Mercator projection which
also is keeping the lines of same azimuth (loxodrom) as straight
lines
- For very
small scale maps in publications and for wall maps, often also
composed projections are used.
An overview of popular map projections is given
in the following table. The main classification is done based on
their deformation properties, and their mapping surface. Their main
use is given.
|
Distortion property
|
Mapping surface
|
Aspect
|
Projections
|
Area of Use
(Extent)
|
|
conformal
|
cylinder
|
normal
|
|
-
World
- equator
regions: east-west extent
|
|
|
|
transverse
|
|
- a
system for the world except polar region (see UPS)
|
|
|
|
|
|
- smaller
regions, with north-south extent
|
|
|
|
oblique
|
|
- smaller
regions, oblique and east-west extent
|
|
|
cone
|
normal
|
|
- smaller
regions, oblique and east-west extent
|
|
|
plane
|
any aspect
|
|
- small
regions up to hemisphere
|
|
|
|
polar
|
|
- polar
regions, (other regions see UTM)
|
|
equal area
|
cylinder
|
normal
|
|
-
equatorial with east-west extent
|
|
|
pseudo cylinder
|
|
|
|
|
|
cone
|
normal
|
|
- smaller
regions and continents with east-west extent
|
|
|
pseudo cone
|
|
|
- smaller
regions, east-west extent
|
|
|
plane
|
any aspect
|
|
- smaller
regions, about same north-south, east-west extent
|
|
|
|
mainly equatorial
|
|
|
|
equidistant
|
cylinder
|
normal
|
|
|
|
|
|
transverse
|
|
- locally
used for large scale mapping
|
|
|
cone
|
normal
|
|
- smaller
regions and continents with east-west extent
|
|
|
plane
|
any aspect
|
|
- smaller
regions, about same north-south, east-west extent
|
|
others
|
poly- super- ficial
|
normal
|
|
- locally
used for large scale mapping
|
Overview about often used map projections
together with their extential main use [Voser
2003]. 
