Our maps strike the perfect balance of usefulness, uniqueness, and beauty. They are guaranteed to grab attention and inspire curiosity.

Despite the strange and unusual content of our wall maps, we are committed to using state-of-the-art cartography to create maps that are accurate, up-to-date, and packed with detail and useful features.

Data

Reliable and usable Data is the backbone of Cartography. Fortunately for cartographers, the digital age has brought with it GIS (geographic information systems) and an abundance of geographic data. Here at WiseGuyMaps.com, we use data sets that are from reliable sources such as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. Census Bureau,and the U.S. Department of Transportation, among others. This ensures that our maps are up-to-date and accurate.

Detail

Our Maps are packed with Detail. We include information about cities, population, transportation, political boundaries, natural features, and more. Visit our map showroom to see more information about the level of detail and included features for all of our maps.

Ease of Use

Our maps present loads of detail in a readable format free from clutter. Use of consistent colors, line-styles, symbols, and text improve the readability and usability of our maps. Additionally, all maps include a legend which explains all symbols and provides other useful information.

Shaded Relief

Shaded Relief (mountain shading) is a perfect example of how our maps combine style and substance. All maps include stunning shaded relief mountains which clearly show the layout of the land. The appearance resembles that of a photograph taken from space, but is actually the rendering of digital elevation data taken of the entire world. The result is a 3-D effect where mountains seem to jump off the page, but is also completely accurate depiction of the landscape - down to the smallest bump and valley on the surface of the earth.

Through the overall uniqueness, our maps are designed to stand out and grab attention. But after looking closer, the aesthetic quality and artistic styles also contribute to the visual display.

Although we pride ourselves on publishing high-quality reference maps and aesthetic maps that look great on display, there's no secret that what makes our maps really special is that they completely defy conventions of cartography.

South-Up

Changing the map orientation (how north, south, east, and west are represented on the paper) is one of the simplest and most effective ways to show the world differently. Convention tells us that north is up, but why? North has no objective characteristic which equates to "up" on a map. The easiest way to turn this convention around is...well...to turn it around. By putting South at the top of a map (an "upside down map") the earth looks entirely different.

View our Upside Down Map Page for to learn more about South-up maps and how they can help see the world differently.

WiseGuyMaps.com is proud to publish many "Upside Down Maps", including the first and only published Upside Down USA map. Visit our product showroom to view our entire collection of maps, or specifically visit our selection of upside-down maps for sale.

More to Come

As WiseGuyMaps.com is a young organization, many other mapping twists and curve-balls will be released in due time. Please check back with us frequently as we are constantly developing more maps that range from curious, to sarcastic, to bizarre.

All of our published maps can be purchased through Maps.com.
To see a listing and details of our maps, check out our map showroom.
To purchase larger quantities for retail, please contact us.