another member of the axis of google-bashers speaks up

With China actively seeking to eliminate Google from its virtual shores, even going to the effort of creating its own version, Iran has turned up the heat on the internet mapping giant this week over its failure to label the Persian Gulf, according to a report from CNN.

1938: National Geographic – The Bible Lands

The Iranians believe that Google is making a political statement by failing to use the Persian Gulf label, which has in recent years been re-titled ‘The Arabian Gulf’ by some believing it is more ‘politically correct’.

The Persian Gulf is coveted by Iranians as a statement of power and ownership over the gulf, and refers back to the nation’s history in the Persian Empire. Proponents of the Arabian Gulf name suggest that as 70% of the Gulf coast is NOT in Iran, that the Arabian Gulf is more appropriate, and that the use of Persia is an anachronism even in Iran, where the population is a mix of Persians, Arabs, Kurds and numerous other ethnic groups.

Iran has raised similar complaints against various institutions for decades. A simple Google search finds correspondence with the Dutch Airline KLM during the mid 1990′s after they referred to the Arabian Gulf in their in-flight magazine. More recently thousands of people protested through Facebook ’causes’ when the US Navy used Arabian Gulf, the Economist magazine was banned when it referred to the waterway as ‘The Gulf’ and reportedly the infamous Louvre gallery in Paris, France found itself in hot water when its guidebooks did the same.

A look at maps going back to the turn of the century in Maps.com’s National Geographic Classic Collection reveals, interestingly that published print maps have always typically used the Persian Gulf label. One edition from 1991 shows both Arabian Gulf and Persian Gulf labels, but was designed to highlight the various disputes and issues of the region at that time.

Referring to the International Hydrographic Organization, sometimes used by Cartographers as the ‘final word’ on water naming conventions (“The Vision of the IHO is to be the authoritative worldwide hydrographic body which actively engages all coastal and interested States to advance maritime safety and efficiency and which supports the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment” ) last updated its materials in 1953 and clearly refers to the water as The Persian Gulf. But for those who use the Times Atlas of the World there is a distinct lack of controversy as they opt to name it ‘The Gulf’ (what next, “The Ocean” and “The Land Mass”??)

1991: National Geographic – Middle East States in Turmoil

Google is of course an easy, and high profile target when it comes to this type of dispute. For one, any assault on Google, the world’s third biggest superpower behind Apple and Microsoft, is bound to make headlines or at least come out near the top in a Bing search. And for two, any irate consumer who wants to bash the search engine giant can take their pick of lost cities and mislabeled waterways to rant about.

Today: National Geographic – The Middle East

What they can be accused of is sidestepping the issue a little. If you type ‘Persian Gulf’ into Google Maps, it will take you to the center of the unlabeled body of water with a nice red pin to mark the spot. If you type in Arabian Gulf, it suggests “Arabian Gulf, Kuwait” which when clicked takes you to the same body of water, very close to the coastline of Kuwait. Type in other waterways of lesser profile – Caspian Sea, English Channel, Baltic Sea, Strait of Gibraltar and every one of them is labeled. So maybe Google lost its nerve on this one. (Google maps in fact fails to label the East Sea, AKA The Sea of Japan, depending on whether you are from Korea or Japan – so it has previous form here).  An anonymous Google representative argued that they simply ‘dont have labels’ for every body of water. It can be really frustrating when you run out of labels. Perhaps they could have borrowed the one from “Ditch #1, Osceola AR.”

From our point of view at Maps.com, newly published maps follow the convention set by leading cartographic publishers and organizations like the IHO – and will continue to be ‘The Persian Gulf’ until further notice.

Today: Maps.com – New Century World Map

Related articles

• Iran ‘to sue Google’ over Gulf (bbc.co.uk)
• Iran threatens legal action against Google for not labeling Persian Gulf (fox6now.com)
• Iran to Sue Google (forbes.com)

apple dropping google in cartographic celebrity divorce?

According to several sources close to Apple, the new IOS6 operating system for iPhone will no longer include Google Maps, and will instead feature an Apple developed mapping service believed to be faster, cleaner and more reliable. It will also proudly boast awe inspiring 3d rendering developed by C3, a spin-off of the Swedish auto and aerospace manufacturer SAAB, which was purchased by Apple in July 2011. C3 specialized in developing 3d rendering from color aerial photography.

Rumors about this change have been circulating ever since the purchase of Placebase, a mapping software developer, was revealed in 2009. Initial evidence of a split was seen earlier this year when iPhoto for the iPad was found to be using Open Street Map instead of Google Maps as in previous versions and the outcome became an inevitability when Apple failed to renew its contract with Google that was due to expire at the end of 2012.

9to5Mac Mockup of 3D rendering comparisons

Whilst nothing has been officially announced it is expected that maps will once again be making the headlines at the forthcoming iOS6 launch. Who knows, maybe they can make some fundamental improvements like including the names of rivers in the new maps and find some of the more recently ‘lost cities’.

Related articles

• Apple Moving to In-House Mapping Service with 3D Views in iOS 6? (macrumors.com)
• Report: Apple Is Dropping Google Maps from iOS 6 [Apple] (gizmodo.com)
• Two months later, Apple acknowledges use of OpenStreetMap in iPhoto (arstechnica.com)

Maps.com Teaches Cartography to Local Elementary School Students

By Eric Wilder, Cartographer, Maps.com.

It's Science Night

Last week marked an exciting time for Maps.com, as it was the culmination of the critically acclaimed Monte Vista Elementary School Science Night.

For many K-6 graders in Santa Barbara, Science Night is one of the most anticipated days of the year; Monte Vista Elementary School hosts dozens of local scientists from a wide variety of disciplines who enthusiastically share their profession with young minds of tomorrow. The evening gives students the opportunity to touch a human brain, hold a python, experience static electricity, and as of 2012, learn about MAPS!!!

As a past student of Monte Vista who vividly remembers the thrills of Science Night, I was ecstatic to see things come full circle and return 15 years later as a cartographer. Teamed up with my partner in crime, Maps 101Customer Account Specialist, Terry (also a proud Monte Vista graduate!), we prepared a presentation that we hoped would engage students and get them interested in maps.

Global Appeal

Despite the fact that the cartography exhibit was placed right next to the reptile exhibit – tough competition to say the least – it is safe to say that the kiddos were enthralled to learn about maps. Crowded around the big maps we brought with us, Monte Vista students were quickly able to spot their school’s location on a map, identify ways that the Santa Barbara area has changed in the past century using our Santa Barbara Antique Wall Map, find their California mission on our Maps 101 missions map, and discover the uses of imagery in mapmaking. You would be shocked to learn how many first, second, and third grade students have used Google Maps before!!

No, THIS is longitude, Mr.

Seeing that I once had a cartographer visit my classroom in fifth grade, we at Maps.com understand the value of introducing the science of cartography to our society’s next generation of geographers. After a very fun evening complete with prize giveaways and contests, it is without doubt that the future looks bright for the cartographers of tomorrow!

Related articles

• Cartography Can Be Fun (travelbetweenthepages.com)
• The best American wall map: David Imus’ “The Essential Geography of the United States of America” – Slate Magazine (slate.com)

What Did You Have for Dinner Last Night?

Despite what most observers consider a success in the transition of Sudan into two separate states, there is still a great deal of unrest in both countries. A conflict has been raging in Sudan since last May that has arisen from issues never fully resolved in the civil war because people in those states, particularly in the Nuba Mountains, fought in alliance with the South. Though they remained in the North, their issues were to be resolved in a process called popular consultations. Those consultations did not get finished and a ‘very serious’ conflict broke out, in the words of Ambassador Princeton Lyman at a press briefing today.

The UN and the U.S. are very concerned about predictions made by the Famine Early Warning System Network that warn of a major humanitarian crisis in those areas, particularly Southern Kordofan. By March, they feel that a large number of people, as many as a quarter of a million or more, will will reach what they call emergency status, which is one class short of famine and constitutes a very serious food emergency. The Sudanese government has resisted efforts by the administration and the UN to assist in relief efforts. Part of their arguments against receiving aid is that they ‘learned a lesson’ in Darfur, meaning that if they let the UN in, it will result in a peace-keeping mission and result in human rights charges against the Sudanese administration and further loss of territory. They further argue that they are concerned that food aid will reach supporters of the SPLM in the North and that the situation really isn’t that serious.

To complicate matters, there is also conflict between Sudan and South Sudan about the sharing of oil revenues. Most of the oil in the two countries originates in the South, while the refining and distribution facilities are in the North. The North has imposed increased tariffs on Southern oil and has blocked ships carrying it from leaving port. In response, the South has threatened to shut down all oil production and move to build pipelines to Kenya. Needless to say that with this much at stake for both countries, this is a very dangerous game.

Acute Food Insecurity in Sudan, especially Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, where conflict has broken out.

In the South, hostilities between regions and ethnic groups that was temporarily mollified by the independence movement are now beginning to show up again. Recently clashes between the Lou Nuer and Murle ethnic groups in Jonglei have resulted in the death of several individuals (perhaps several hundred) and widespread displacement of civilians. Fortunately, UNMIS was able to inervene and prevent a major conflict in one incident in Pibor, but there is still the threat or reprisal attacks. South Sudan is still a fragile state and we can only hope that all the ethnic, political and economic conflicts can be resolved as soon as possible.

Pibor, South Sudan. Site of serious clashes in recent weeks

View Larger Map

Source: U.S. State Department

U.S. Opens New Tehran Embassy, Well Sort Of

No, U.S. diplomats haven’t returned to Iran to face the mob that overran the British Embassy last week. No feet are required on the ground for this first-ever virtual embassy launched by the U.S. State Department as part of its friend-making campaign towards the Iranian people.

Under Secretary Wendy Sherman made the announcement today, saying that the U.S. wants “to communicate directly to the people of Iran. We want all Iranians, especially the very large population of young people inside Iran, to see that the United States has deep respect for the Iranian people and its civilization. We want to support a more direct and robust engagement between us and the people of Iran, as we have in other countries where we have physical embassies. The virtual embassy is a hub in Persian and English for information not only on U.S. policy towards Iran but also a place to get insight into American culture and society, find visa applications, learn about opportunities to study in the United States. Virtual Embassy Tehran is a launch pad for our interactive efforts, our blogs, our Persian Facebook and Twitter pages, and our YouTube channel.”

The relationship between the U.S. and Iran has been made more tense of late by the Iranian administrations continued attempts to develop nuclear material  and the recent crash of a CIA drone in Iranian territory. The Iranian government will likely attempt to block the site from networks within the country, as they have for many site they deem inappropriate or counter to their own message. At the time of the announcement, the site had been operating for several hours with no attacks or blockage. Should it happen, the U.S. will do whatever it can to reset access and is confident that they can keep it up and accessible.

This does not signal a change in the diplomatic relationship, or lack thereof, between the two countries, but a new tactic to reach directly to the Iranian people.

PROFILE

Geography
Area: 1.6 million sq. km. (636,295 sq. mi., slightly larger than Alaska).
Arable land: 9.78% of the country.
Cities: Capital–Tehran. Other cities–Isfahan, Tabriz, Mashhad, Shiraz, Yazd, Qom.
Terrain: Desert and mountains.
Climate: Semiarid; subtropical along the Caspian coast.

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective–Iranian(s).
Population (July 2010 est.): 76,923,300 million.
Population growth rate (July 2010): 0. 1.253%%.
Ethnic groups: Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.
Religions: Shi’a Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 9%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha’i 2%.
Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic languages (besides Turkish) 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%.
Education: Literacy (total population age 15 and over who can read and write, 2003)–79% (male: 86%, female: 73%).
Health (2010 est.): Infant mortality rate– 43.45 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth (2010)–total population: 69.77yrs.

Government
Type: Islamic republic.
Constitution: Ratified in December 1979, revised 1989.
Branches: Executive–Supreme Leader (head of state), President (head of government), Council of Ministers, Assembly of Experts, Expediency Council, Council of Guardians.Legislative–290-member Majles (National Assembly, or Islamic Consultative Assembly).Judicial–Supreme Judiciary.
Suffrage: Universal suffrage; 18 years of age.

 Sources: Maps.com, Maps101,  U.S. State Department

Map community watches Thailand closely.

Maps have many uses!

Bangkok Resident waits out the flooding: CNN

With much of the world’s weather attention focused on the flooding and destruction in Thailand, many in the ‘map community’ are not only concerned for the health & safety of the friends, family, and the Thai people, but also the fate of the annual International Map Trade Association’s Asia/Pacific (IMTA AP) conference, set to take place in Bangkok November 10th & 11th.

Many IMTA members, particularly those traveling from North America, are having trepidations about travelling to a country that may be in need of relief more than conventioneers. Although the conference organizers have been assured that the primary hotel, international airport, and convention center are all dry and in working order, news reports from around the world and inside Thailand paint a more dire picture. Certainly a portion of the Thai and Bangkok economy is based on visitors, and the map community is very sensitive to this, perhaps even more so than most.

The flooding and displacement of people certainly isn’t a laughing matter, but this photos shows a unique use of map.  For travelling delegates we recommend lamination!

See more images from CNN coverage here.

Related articles

• Floods reach Bangkok, Thailand (telegraph.co.uk)
• Bangkok Braces for More Flood Impact (online.wsj.com)
• Bangkok braced for month of flooding as big evacuation gets under way (guardian.co.uk)
• Bangkok braced for month of flooding as big evacuation gets under way – The Guardian (news.google.com)

No Sudan movements from map-makers as the South celebrates.

Image via Wikipedia

The people of South Sudan celebrated this week as they became Africa’s 54th nation. But cartographers around the world are in no rush to redraw.

Both Google Maps and Bing Maps are still awaiting confirmed geo data for the new border, which has not yet been officially agreed. As confirmed by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, the exact location of the border will be determined along with military re-deployments and agreements on natural resources. A 12 mile buffer zone to reduce outbreaks of violence is expected to be part of the final agreement, with Ethiopian troops playing a key peace-keeping role. The conflict in the region is estimated to have cost over 1.5 million lives in decades of violence.

A number of ‘unofficial maps’ have been developed, including this one from London’s Guardian Newspaper, and South Sudan’s own Foreign Ministry has been issuing maps for use by its embassies and foreign diplomatic missions, however they are yet to finally agree the borders or receive official recognition from the United Nations. This should occur in a meeting Thursday, and will follow the EU, United States and Russia’s recognition of the state whose independence was finally declared last Saturday, July 10th.

Juba will be the new capital where many challenges such as extreme poverty will be faced. This is also where the nations wealth of oil reserves will be strategically  managed from.

Google reported that they were awaiting the most accurate data before they would update their Google Maps and Google Earth products with the new nation, until then they have been encouraging locals to produce their own maps in community mapping events.

South Sudan already has its own national soccer team which played its first match against a Kenyan club team on saturday, however currently the world governing body FIFA does not recognize the new nation and matches will remain, like the cartography,  ’unofficial’.

Republic of South Sudan, via the Mission of the Government of South Sudan.

Related articles

• South Sudan Is Born (newser.com)
• South Sudanese sing and map their way to independence (google-latlong.blogspot.com)
• South Sudan: A new nation rises (boston.com)
• South Sudan celebrates first day as independent nation (independent.co.uk)
• Next for South Sudan: Building an Economy (newser.com)

the slightly rounded flat dished earth theory

The last complete evidence that the earth is flat will find a new home in the Library of Congress after its true value was realized  by its owner in Salem, Oregon.

Owner Don Homuth has donated the map, which was given to him by a teacher when he was at school in South Dakota. This is the only known complete copy of the map which was drawn by Orlando Ferguson shortly before the turn of the 20th Century.

The map shows how the earth is flat and stationery, but accounts for visual evidence of the planets curvature and movement with its humped shape at the center of a large dish. Ferguson also published an accompanying book which promised to ‘knock out the globe theory’ and enable the reader to ‘predict eclipses’ – for only 25c (1893 money). It includes a number of biblical references and reminds the user that “400 passages in the bible condemn the globe theory and the flying earth and none sustain it”.

The Library will take delivery of the map later this month. Expect a flood of cut price globes once the map goes on display and the theory begins to catch on again.

Flat Stationery Earth Map via the history blog

What’s in a name?

The UGEGN (United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names) is currently meeting in Vienna, Austria in  its 26th Session.

The purpose of this meeting is to review, discuss and report on resolutions agreed by the United Nations Conferences on the Standardization of Geographical Names, which have occurred at 5 year intervals since 1959.

The conferences are designed to move towards standardization of place names around the world, whilst protecting the cultural heritage that is behind many of them. There are many examples around the world. The UN has a team working specifically in Africa where frequent and rapid political changes have meant that many regions, cities and even countries are known by multiple names. Austria itself includes towns and cities near its Hungarian border with multiple identities to multiple cultures, including Croat, Roma and German language translations.

This can cause headaches when preparing reference materials, developing or executing disaster response, international law and even military activity.

Ultimately the hope is that each country will submit its standardized list of ‘official names’ and the UGEGN will disseminate these names internationally, including a standardized method of translation into languages which use non-roman scripts such as Arabic. Meanwhile, the recording of cultural names to preserve local heritage is another key aim. More than 400 Geographers, Linguists, Cartographers and Planners make up the group from around the world.

The results so far are manifested in the World Geographical Names Database, which contains 2600 full and short country names for 192 UN member states, 4100 names for 2970 cities with populations over 100,000, and 600 audio files to assist with pronunciation.

Given that this seems to have been a moving target since 1959 one can expect that there will be many more sessions before the job is complete……

Unusual wildlife invasion covered by Google Maps.

UPDATE – NARWHAL HAS NOW SWAM AWAY AND NO LONGER VIEWABLE USING GOOGLE – BUT THE VIDEO STILL WORKS!

According to Google Maps there is a Narwhal in London’s river Thames. And if you were in any doubt about what one of those is, here is the most annoying educational video ever. Happy April Fool’s Day.

Kind of funny looking fish in the Thames

Want tickets to the Royal Wedding on April 29th? Get them here.