{"id":66785,"date":"2022-03-12T16:04:25","date_gmt":"2022-03-12T22:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/?p=66785"},"modified":"2025-04-12T06:23:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-12T11:23:09","slug":"web-mercator-projection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/web-mercator-projection\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Web Mercator Projection?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"481\" src=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-Projection-Google-Maps.jpg\" alt=\"Web Mercator Projection Google Maps\" class=\"wp-image-97777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-Projection-Google-Maps.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-Projection-Google-Maps-300x144.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-Projection-Google-Maps-678x326.jpg 678w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-Projection-Google-Maps-768x369.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Web Mercator Projection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Web Mercator projection<\/strong> uses a modified version of the Mercator projection and has become a default map projection for web mapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The major difference between this projection is that it uses a spherical formula at all scales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas the Mercator projection uses a vertically-oriented <a href=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/cylindrical-projection\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cylinder projection<\/a> tangent to the equator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some of the reasons why the <strong>Web Mercator projection<\/strong> is becoming the de facto standard for web and online mapping.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Web Maps Use Web Mercator?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Web Mercator is everywhere. Virtually all major online map providers are using this projection, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Maps<\/a>, CARTO, Mapbox, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.openstreetmap.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">OpenStreetMap<\/a>, Esri, and many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other than the north being oriented upwards, Web Mercator is <strong>well-suited for interactive display<\/strong> in a web map.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image66785_ed0941-99 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image66785_ed0941-99\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"385\" src=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-768x385.png\" alt=\"Google Earth Sphere Projection\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-66787\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-768x385.png 768w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-678x340.png 678w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-50x25.png 50w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-200x100.png 200w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-425x213.png 425w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-550x276.png 550w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-115x58.png 115w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection-360x181.png 360w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Google-Earth-Sphere-Projection.png 1204w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Although there is obvious distortion in the polar regions at high latitudes, it has little distortion for local area viewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/google-earth-vs-google-maps\/\">Google Maps and Google Earth<\/a> now have a &#8220;global&#8221; projection, instead of using Web Mercator at small scales which resembles the true shape of the Earth.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Use Web Mercator?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The main reason is that the Mercator projection preserves direction. No matter where you are in the world using this projection, directions are true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From a user standpoint, this is incredibly useful to know that north is up. Although areas get distorted, it&#8217;s distorted <strong>fairly evenly throughout<\/strong>. Plus, it does not preserve shape or local angles (not conformal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you move away from the equator, distortion increases. Similar to the Mercator projection, areas <strong>stretch out towards the poles<\/strong>. This means you should not use this projection to display the poles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the apparent distortions, the Web Mercator projection is also not appropriate for any <a href=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/spatial-analysis-periodic-table\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">spatial analysis<\/a> or area calculations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>READ MORE:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/map-projection-types\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">50 Map Projections Types: A Visual Reference Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">EPSG Identifier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The EPSG identifier for the Web Mercator projection is <strong>EPSG:3857<\/strong>. But EPSG:4326 and EPSG:900913 also refer to this projection as well.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image66785_29a6bb-04.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:650px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image66785_29a6bb-04.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 figure{max-width:650px;}.kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 .image-is-svg, .kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image66785_29a6bb-04 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image66785_29a6bb-04\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-768x381.png\" alt=\"Web Mercator OpenStreetMap\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-66788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-678x336.png 678w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-50x25.png 50w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-200x99.png 200w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-425x211.png 425w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-550x273.png 550w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-115x57.png 115w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-1265x628.png 1265w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap-360x179.png 360w, https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Web-Mercator-OpenStreetMap.png 1352w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What&#8217;s Next?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Web Mercator projection is a variant of Mercator, &#8220;Mercator Auxiliary Sphere&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although it distorts areas in the polar regions, it&#8217;s become the <strong>de facto standard for web mapping<\/strong> of any type and is useful for large-scale (local) maps on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its many advantages, this projection is not appropriate for any type of spatial analysis or area calculations<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most major online web maps use this type of <a href=\"https:\/\/gisgeography.com\/map-projections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">map projection<\/a> including Google, OpenStreetMap, and Mapbox.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Web Mercator projection uses a modified version of the Mercator projection and has become a default map projection for web mapping.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":97777,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[108],"tags":[300],"class_list":["post-66785","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-maps-cartography","tag-coordinate-systems"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Is the Web Mercator 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