Small-scale map projection design.

The use of computers in cartography has made it a lot easier for map-makers to transform data from one map projection to another and to experiment with alternative representations of geographical data. Yet this has also created new challenges and opportunities for map projection scientists. Small-scale Map Projection Design focuses on numerical map projection research, and is written from the perspective of the map projection user. It demonstrates how advances in the measurement of map projection distortion and in the development of low-error map projections can help map-makers decide what type of map projection is best for their purpose, and shows how they can eventually design their own tailor-made map projections.

A number of significant contributions to the subject have been made over recent decades, and these are reviewed along with a substantial amount of original, previously unpublished material. The presentation is unique, particularly as it focuses on map projection design rather than on the mathematical aspects of map projection. Theoretical developments in the field are tied to practical decisions with regard to map projection selection, which is far too often based on the use of simple rule-of-thumb methods. The book contains many examples that illustrate the versatility of computer-assisted map projection design and show how it can be put to good use in small-scale map-making.