A map of the World can say a lot about countries, giving their longitude and lattitude coordinates and hence their weather, time zone, closeness to “civilization,” whether they are landlocked, maybe even elevation, etc. If you wanted to learn about them, you can read travel books, fact sheets, etc. — or you can see them on a map. For example, if you travel a lot, wouldn’t it be great to be able to see at a glance which countries Google Street View cameras have already mapped (and hence available on your smartphone) — and for which you need to purchase a printed map?
1. Where Google Street View is Available
So here are 40 maps of the world that tell you facts about countries at a glance (a picture is worth a 1000 words). Besides where Google has already sent its Street View cameras and where not (#1, above), there are cool facts about countries that still do not use the metric system (#2), which countries still do not pay maternal leave (#6), which countries still drive on the wrong (i.e., right) side of the road (#8), global Internet usage (#10), where 29,000 rubber duckies made landfall after falling off a cargo ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (and thus about ocean currents, #19), and what does your (European) country’s name sound when translated into Chinese (#39). Finally, people are always making fun of the land down under; well, at #40, they strike back with a map from their perspective.
I believe map #3 should be retitled: Countries Where You Cannot Get Fish & Chips.
View the 40 Maps at: TwistedSifter.