11 Maps That Will Help You See the World in a Whole New Light

Where can you go from the U.S. if you’re vaccinated? What countries require you to wear masks in public spaces? Where in the world do you need to quarantine on arrival or take a COVID-19 test to enter? Airheart, in this extremely useful tool for the times we live in, shares all this data in a comprehensible, interactive way. You can choose filters and once the list of countries appears, you will find in-depth summaries for each country with restrictions, guidelines and mandates, and local guides and data on vaccine and COVID-19 cases.

If you’re planning a trip soon, this tool will definitely help you save time on basic research while picking a destination.

The International Air Transport Association launched this map to help travelers navigate this world of coronavirus-mandatory restrictions. A color-coded, interactive map, it categorizes countries as “Totally Restrictive,” “Partially Restrictive,” “Not Restrictive,” and “Latest Updates Currently Under Review.” When you click on a country, you get a dialogue box with information about its restrictions and further links to reduce your research time.

Another tool you can use to know about travel restrictions around the world is Sherpa.

A Canadian non-profit has designed the Native Land tool. This interactive map allows users to enter their address and see which indigenous tribe the land belonged to. The results lead you to different websites of tribes and you can also learn about their languages and treaties associated with their land.

It’s important to acknowledge the roots of colonialism and its impact on Indigeous communities. The website states, “We aim to improve the relationship of people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, with the land around them and with the real history and sacredness of that land. This involves acknowledging and righting the wrongs of history, and also involves a personal journey through the importance of connecting with the earth, its creatures, and its teachings.”

Spend some time on the Climate Impact Map to understand how the world is changing due to emissions. You can look at historic data and projected climate change impacts: rise in temperatures, mortality costs, and energy costs. For example, you can see how many hot days your state will experience in the mid-century with high emissions, or how the economy will fare under moderate emissions. You can also select different probabilities since it’s a forecast. 

A simple indicator is the average temperature: compare what temperature was in your state when you were younger and how much it’s projected to change—the colors will drastically turn from blue to orange/yellow with a mouse click when you go from historical to end of century.

There are 26.6 million refugees in the world according to the UNHCR. Millions of people get displaced every year, forced to flee their homes and risk their lives in hopes to find a better life. The Refugee Project is an interactive map that depicts where refugee populations are originating from and the asylum countries they’re living in. The bigger the circle, the more displaced population (Syria had a refugee population of 6,688,996 in 2020). You can also see the countries that have sheltered the displaced populations country-wise and check historical records since 1975.

Another animated map that showcases the causes and risks of climate change, the Carbon Map relays how different countries are adding to emissions and the populations that are vulnerable to it. The map is divided into three sections: background, responsibility, and vulnerability, and as you click on sub-sections (let’s say historical responsibility), the countries go bigger or smaller and data points are revealed (the U.S. ranks the highest on historical responsibility). It’s a great way to understand the biggest polluters in the world and the impacts of climate change on countries.

Maps aren’t accurate because spheres are difficult to project out in 2D. They distort sizes, so Greeland appears to be as big as Africa on many maps, when it’s actually 14 times smaller. So, this digital map helps you see the real size of a city or a country. Search for New York and you’ll see its outline, which you can then move around and compare to other cities–superimpose it on Tajikistan and you’ll see NYC is a comparable size to the state.