Maps & Cartography

The central meridian is the center line of longitude for projection systems. Projected coordinate systems often use it as a reference point for a x-origin.

If you’re in need of a visual reference guide to map projection types, this goldmine of the top 50 global map projections used by cartographers will help.

When you place a cone on the Earth and unwrap it, this results in a conic projection. Examples are Albers Equal Area Conic and the Lambert Conformal Conic.