In the age of the internet and availability of tools like Google maps, many believe the need to have a globe is obsolete. Looking at a flat map, you would think Florida is the closest state to Africa, Spain is only slightly larger than Iceland, and Greenland is almost the same size as Africa. All of these assumptions are very wrong. Since the Earth is a sphere, every flat map you have ever looked at has lied to you.

Translating the Earth into a flat map is called a projection, and there are dozens of different projections each one with benefits and drawbacks. Google maps uses the Mercator projection, which artificially enlarges land masses closer to the north and south poles. To prove this look at Greenland on Google maps, and compare it to Africa. They appear almost the same size, in reality Africa is 14 times larger by area than Greenland. The Mercator projection preserves direction, which is why Google maps being first and foremost a navigational tool uses it, but it comes at the cost of distorting the area of land masses. Viewing the Earth as a globe is the only way to truly understand our world.

If you go to Amazon or other marketplaces you will find no shortage of
globes for sale. Some will even illuminate or talk to you and tell you what
country you point to. Most of these, are mass produced and made out of
cardboard that is pressed into a mold by a machine. Our largest globes are 50cm
in diameter, these sizes are only available from specialty dealers. Our globes
are handmade from plaster with patience and dedication. This gives them a more
authentic feel. All of our products are made in the USA.