Gerardus Mercator

Gerardus Mercator was a 16th-century Flemish cartographer known for creating the Mercator projection, a method for depicting the Earth's curved surface on a flat map. This projection became widely used because it allows navigators to draw straight lines, which represent constant compass bearings, making it easier for maritime navigation. However, it distorts sizes, particularly near the poles, making landmasses appear larger than they are. Mercator’s work significantly influenced the fields of geography and cartography, and his maps remain an important part of our understanding of global navigation and spatial relationships.