Are Mercator Maps Accurate?

Accuracy. One measure of a map's accuracy is a comparison of the length of corresponding line elements on the map and globe. Therefore, by construction, the Mercator projection is perfectly accurate, k = 1, along the equator and nowhere else.

Why is the Mercator map inaccurate?

Mercator maps distort the shape and relative size of continents, particularly near the poles. ... The popular Mercator projection distorts the relative size of landmasses, exaggerating the size of land near the poles as compared to areas near the equator.

Does the Mercator map accurately show distance?

Polar projections show the North Pole or the South Pole as the center of the map. Although size and shape are distorted on planar projections, distances and directions are accurate when the line of travel passes through the center of the map.