Best map projection for the Arctic and Antarctica
For a map of the Arctic or Antarctica, use an azimuthal projection with the pole in the middle of the map. In our lab that is the azimuthal equidistant projection: it shows the polar region without stretching, and distances from the pole are true to scale.
Best choice: Azimuthal Equidistant
Equidistant, azimuthal
An azimuthal equidistant map centred on the pole shows the Arctic without stretching, with true distances from the pole. The map in the UN emblem uses this view.
- Area: distorted
- Shape: distorted
- Distances: partially
- Angles and directions: partially
- Continuity: preserved
Also good
- Globe (Orthographic)Neither equal-area nor conformal
A globe view: rotate it to see the pole as if from space.
Open in the map labProjection guide - Peirce QuincuncialConformal
A square with the North Pole in the middle and true local angles.
Open in the map labProjection guide
What to avoid
The pole lies at infinity there, so the Arctic can't be shown whole.
See the problem on the map →A different goal or map shape? Change the answers in the finder →
Why ordinary world maps fail at the poles
On a Mercator map the poles lie at infinity, so the map is clipped before them and Antarctica turns into a stretched strip along the bottom. On Plate Carrée the pole becomes a line as long as the equator. Neither map shows what the area around the pole really looks like.
Azimuthal projections
An azimuthal projection transfers the globe onto a plane that touches it at a single point. When that point is a pole, the meridians spread out from it like spokes and the parallels form circles.
Many polar maps and datasets use the polar stereographic projection, for example EPSG:3031 for Antarctica and EPSG:3413 for the Arctic. It is also azimuthal, but conformal. It is not in our lab yet, but close to the pole the two maps look much alike.
How to put a pole in the middle
The lab opens each of these views in one click.
- The Arctic: the azimuthal equidistant projection opens with the North Pole in the middle.
- Antarctica: the same projection with the South Pole in the middle; the link sits below the recommendation.
- The globe: rotate the orthographic projection to see the pole as it looks from space.
Frequently asked questions
Because popular world maps either stretch the area around the South Pole or cut it off. On a Mercator map Antarctica stretches endlessly along the bottom edge.
An azimuthal equidistant projection with the North Pole in the middle. According to the UN, the map extends to 60° south latitude and has five concentric circles.
Yes, from the pole. In the azimuthal equidistant projection the distance from the centre of the map is true to scale in every direction, so it is easy to read how far a place lies from the pole.