A map where regions are distorted in size to represent data like population or wealth instead of actual geographic area.
From carto- (Greek kartos, map) + -gram (Greek gramma, drawing or writing). This modern term was coined in the 20th century by geographers who wanted to visualize statistical data on maps.
Cartograms are mind-bending maps where countries balloon up or shrink based on whatever you're measuring—population, GDP, or COVID cases—and they instantly reveal patterns that regular maps hide, like how a few countries contain most of the world's wealth.
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