Apple’s bungled attempt at mapping (something that should particularly concern its executives) has put maps in the spotlight. Vanessa Thorpe looked at the role that maps play in our society:

• Throughout history the center of the map was a known cultural landmark such as London or Jerusalem.
• Now however with digital maps the individual is at the center of the map, explaining why they have become so popular in recent times.
• Maps also play an important role in children’s literature. The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Treasure Island all prominently featured maps. The Marauder’s Map in Harry Potter also played a pivotal role.
• Map makers have yielded a lot of influence in history and continue to do so in the present. Google mistakenly assigned some territory in Costa Rica to Nicaragua. Nicaraguans then used that mistake as a justification to invade the territory.

Read more about the mountain range that never was, and the future of maps over here.

Source: The Guardian