National Geographic's World map is the standard by which all other reference maps are measured. The World map is meticulously researched and adheres to National Geographic's convention of making independent, apolitical decisions based on extensive research using multiple authoritative source. The signature Classic style map uses a bright, easy to read color palette featuring blue oceans and stunning shaded relief that has been featured on National Geographic wall maps for over 75 years. Drawn in the Winkel Tripel projection, distortions are minimized and unlike many other World maps, Greenland is show the same size as Argentina and not as the size of all of South America. Thousands of place names are carefully and artistically placed on the map to maintain legibility even in the heavily populated areas of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Details include clearly defined international boundaries, cities, physical features, rivers, and ocean floor features. Corner inset maps feature vegetation and land use, and population density as well as the north and south polar regions. The map is encapsulated in heavy-duty 1.6 mil laminate which makes the paper much more durable and resistant to the swelling and shrinking caused by changes in humidity. Laminated maps can be framed without the need for glass, so the fames can be much lighter and less expensive. Map Scale = 1:31,900,000 Sheet Size = 43.5" x 30.5"