Do Map Projections Have Distortion?

The good news is that map projections allow us to distort systematically; we know exactly how things are being stretched or squashed at any given point. We have many different map projections because each has different patterns of distortion—there is more than one way to flatten an orange peel.

How are map projections distorted?

There are four basic characteristics of a map that are distorted to some degree, depending on the map projection used. These characteristics include distance, direction, shape, and area.

Do map projection distort shape?

A map that preserves the area of a feature (also called equal-area projections) will display the feature in its exact size. An equal-area map projection will distort shape, angle, scale, or any combination of the three.