Behrmann Cylindrical Equal-Area Projection
Dec 8,2025

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Introduction

The Behrmann Cylindrical Equal-Area Projection is an equal-area azimuthal projection distinguished by its ability to accurately preserve distances and directions from a central point. By projecting each point on the Earth onto a flat surface, this projection method faithfully represents geographical features and relative positional relationships, making it widely applicable in fields such as cartography and geographic information systems.

Projection Basic

The Behrmann Cylindrical Equal-Area Projection maps the Earth's surface onto a cylinder based on the equal-area principle. By adjusting the spacing of parallels (with standard parallels set at 30° north and south latitude), it ensures that the area of any region on the map is proportionally equal to the corresponding area on the Earth's actual surface. While meridians remain equidistant parallel straight lines, shapes gradually distort as latitude increases.

Pros

Equal-Area Property: The core strength of the Behrmann projection is its ability to maintain proportional consistency between map areas and the Earth’s actual surface areas. This makes it indispensable in scenarios requiring precise area representation.
Polar Compression Effect: By setting the standard parallels at 30° north and south latitude, the Behrmann projection effectively compresses polar regions, reducing exaggerated distortions in high-latitude areas. This approach provides a more balanced representation of global geographical features in world maps, preventing polar regions from occupying excessive visual space.
Simple Geometric Structure: As a cylindrical projection, the Behrmann projection features meridians as equidistant straight lines, with parallels perpendicular to meridians at the equator and intersecting at varying angles in other regions.

Cons

Significant Shape Distortion: Although the Behrmann projection preserves area accuracy, distortions in shape, direction, angles, and distances intensify with increasing distance from the standard parallels (30° north and south latitude).
Limited Visual Detail in High-Latitude Regions: Due to polar compression, the projection may restrict the display of details in high-latitude areas.
Contextual Limitations: The equal-area property of the Behrmann projection makes it better suited for thematic maps requiring precise area representation. However, in scenarios where accurate direction or angle preservation is critical (e.g., maritime or aerial navigation), its performance may be inferior to conformal projections.

Application Scenario

The Behrmann Cylindrical Equal-Area Projection is widely used in contexts requiring precise area proportionality, such as global resource distribution maps, population statistics maps, or ecological reserve planning maps. Its design, which compresses polar regions, also makes it suitable for world maps that emphasize balanced representation of mid- and low-latitude areas, preventing polar regions from dominating visual perception due to exaggerated scale. It is commonly employed in education, scientific research, and policy analysis where area accuracy is essential.