Spatial Taxonomy & Standards
The mathematical and institutional taxonomy governing coordinate systems, EPSG registries, metric preservations, and functional cartographic categories.
Spatial Reference Systems (EPSG & Geodetic Datums)
Standardized numerical registries defining the geometric models of the Earth.
WGS 84 (World Geodetic System 1984)
Standard latitude/longitude coordinates on the WGS 84 reference ellipsoid used in GPS.
WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator (Web Mercator)
The de facto projection standard for web mapping (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox).
NAD83 (North American Datum 1983)
Standard horizontal geodetic datum for the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
ETRS89 / UTM Zone 32N
Standard European terrestrial reference system for high-accuracy cadastral mapping.
Projection Metric Preservations
The mathematical classifications of map projections by preserved metric properties.
Conformal (Orthomorphic)
Preserves infinitesimal angles and local shapes ($a = b$); scale is independent of direction at any point.
Equivalent (Equal-Area)
Preserves the relative area of all regions ($a \cdot b = 1$); shape is distorted away from standard parallels.
Equidistant
Preserves true linear distance from one or two central points or along all meridians.
Aphylactic (Compromise)
Sacrifices exact preservation of both area and angle to minimize composite visual distortion.
Functional Cartographic Typologies
Classifications based on communication intent and data distribution.
Choropleth Map
Thematic map where statistical areas are shaded in proportion to an aggregated data variable.
Isochrone Chart
Map depicting lines connecting points reachable within equal travel times from a central origin.
Portolan Chart
Navigational chart characterized by rhumb line networks radiating from 32-point compass roses.
Value-by-Area Cartogram
Map where geographic geometry is distorted to scale proportionally with a thematic variable (population, GDP).