Orientation of maps Map

the hereford mappa mundi 1300, hereford cathedral, england, classic t-o map jerusalem @ centre, east toward top, europe bottom left , africa on right.

the orientation of map relationship between directions on map , corresponding compass directions in reality. word orient derived latin oriens, meaning east. in middle ages many maps, including t , o maps, drawn east @ top (meaning direction on map corresponds east on compass). today, common – far universal – cartographic convention north @ top of map. several kinds of maps traditionally not oriented north @ top:

maps non-western traditions oriented variety of ways. old maps of edo show japanese imperial palace top , @ centre, of map. labels on map oriented in such way cannot read them unless put imperial palace above head.
medieval european t , o maps such hereford mappa mundi centred on jerusalem east @ top. indeed, prior reintroduction of ptolemy s geography europe around 1400, there no single convention in west. portolan charts, example, oriented shores describe.
maps of cities bordering sea conventionally oriented sea @ top.
route , channel maps have traditionally been oriented road or waterway describe.
polar maps of arctic or antarctic regions conventionally centred on pole; direction north towards or away centre of map, respectively. typical maps of arctic have 0° meridian towards bottom of page; maps of antarctic have 0° meridian towards top of page.
reversed maps, known upside-down maps or south-up maps, reverse north convention , have south @ top.
buckminster fuller s dymaxion maps based on projection of earth s sphere onto icosahedron. resulting triangular pieces may arranged in order or orientation.
modern digital gis maps such arcmap typically project north @ top of map, use math degrees (0 east, degrees increase counter-clockwise), rather compass degrees (0 north, degrees increase clockwise) orientation of transects. compass decimal degrees can converted math degrees subtracting them 450; if answer greater 360, subtract 360.