Water Use: This first map I found is from www.worldmapper.com and it maps use of water for domestic, agriculural, and industrial uses around the world. Keep in mind that it doesn't include energy generation, mining, or recreational uses. This is quite informative because while population does relate to water usage, it is not the only factor. Developed nations use far more water for consumption purposes, while developing areas use far less. The information on this website indicates that United States Citizens consume around three times more water per capita than their counterparts in China. This is absurd as China has almost 20% of the world's population, while the United States only houses about 4.5%. Something to keep in mind next time you hop in the shower...
Upside Down World Map: This is a map I have seen many times as a Geography major, and I was surprised to learn that most people think it is a map of another planet or some other nonsense. I found it on "cultivated pages". Americans are so egocentric, we can't manage to think of ourselves as anything but the center of the universe. Seeing this map completely flips around your world view, and I think everyone should be familiar with it. The "right-side up" map pushes Africa and South America down to the bottom of the page, and makes them look small in comparison to their northern neighbors, when in reality, they are really quite large!
Religious Adherents: Another interesting map; this displays people who adhere to any religion across the United States. I found this on the American Ethnic Geography Website. I compared it with a map of the levels of education in the country, and interestingly enough, there is an interesting correlation between levels of education and adherence to religion, especially in the Midwest (click here for education map). I wonder if this is a solely a correlation, or actually a causation.
See you all next week!
-J
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