Have you ever thought about maps and how they shaped the world and changed the way we view the globe and everything on it? If you think about all the various maps through history then isn’t it amazing that Google Earth has been chosen as one of the top 10 maps that have changed the world.

A fascinating article by Peter Barber, Head of Map Collections at the British Library on dailymail.co.uk looks at an exhibition currently showing at the British Library that studies the history of maps and their influence. The No. 1 slot in the top ten is given to the USSR’s Be On Guard map from 1921, designed to create pro-Bolshevik propaganda.

The Chinese Globe of 1623 also makes the list and is thought to be the earliest known globe while Google Earth is at No. 5, making maps accessible to everyone, although the author notes that ‘less important’ regions get ignored.

Others included are the ‘Red Line’ Map of North America 1782-83 which was used by diplomats to negotiate an end to the American War of Independence and probably one of the most iconic maps ever, the London Tube Map 1933. For full article and more detail on each map go to dailymail.co.uk. Do you think Google Earth deserves its place on the list? We’d be interested in hearing your opinions on this.

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