As unoriginal place names go, Loch Lochy (in Lochaber) has to be at the top of the list. I imagine whoever named it was at the end of a long day of loch naming and said to himself, “fuck it, I’m off to the pub.”
Countries That Were Raided Or Settled By The Vikings Based On Modern Borders
While we tend to think of the Vikings as being based in and around Scandinavia, their activities took them a lot far further afield than that. The map above shows just how far.
Military Camouflages Of The World
The map above shows the world’s military camouflages. It’s based on the country’s primary camo and does not taken into account different branches of the military in each country. Moreover, the original map creators are aware that there are a few inaccuracies and out-of-date designs included.
Is This The Worst World Map Ever?
I’ve seen a lot of bad maps in my time, but the one above has to be among the worst. Vexillology or flag maps can be a beautiful thing when done right. The map above, on the other hand, is hilarious in its randomness.
Awesome New Cartogram Shows World Population in 2015
The cartogram above is an updated version of this one from 10 years ago. Since that time a few things have changed.
What If Nazi Germany Won World War II? Fictional & Historical Scenarios
What if Hitler and the Nazis had won World War II? This is perhaps the greatest historical ‘what if’ of all time. The map above shows just how close they came.
This has led both novelists and historians to speculate about might have happened if Germany had won the war and how they might have done so. Below we’ll look at a few fictional scenarios (with maps) where they do win and what that means for the rest of the world. This will be followed by some historical speculation about whether or not Germany really could have won.
The Obesity Epidemic in America Summed Up In One Map
Why is America so fat? Well as this faux Time magazine cover created by Ricky Linn shows, it may be because the country looks like a man gorging himself on an Alaskan-sized burger.
1919 Women’s Suffrage Victory Map, Published The Year Before The Passage Of The 19th Amendment
As difficult as it may be to believe, the The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on August 18th, 1920, less than 100 years ago. It stated that: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” In plain English, it gave the vote to all women of voting age.
However, before its passage, not all women had been denied the vote as the map above demonstrates.
[Read more…]
Byzantine Constantinople Before It Was Istanbul
Constantinople has been the capital of 4 different empires during its long history. The Roman, Byzantine (or Eastern Roman), Latin and Ottoman empires all coveted the city due to its strategic and commercial importance.
Scotland’s Watershed Is So Wild That Only 6 People Have Managed To Complete The Whole Route
The Scottish Watershed separates the drainage and river systems that flow east into the North Sea from those that flow west into the Atlantic. The map above shows its route from the English Border to the North of Scotland at Duncansby Head (near the more famous John O’ Groats).
Or, as Peter Wright (one of the only people to have walked it) puts it: