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If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

knowmore.washingtonpost.com

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Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#11

Post by gggggggg »

eob wrote: post #7

This really shows just how "landlocked" [1] the People's Republic of China is by the chain of islands bordering it -- they have less ocean-facing coastline than Morocco, Portugal, and even Mauritania. Next time you read about the PRC (a) trying to assert naval power in the South China Sea, or (b) maintaining claims to Taiwan despite having never controlled it, think of this map and the near complete absence of the PR…

this seems wrong to me. If you look at a map, China has a fair amount of coastline.

Do I have this wrong?

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#12

Post by eob »

gggggggg wrote: post #11
eob wrote: post #7

This really shows just how "landlocked" [1] the People's Republic of China is by the chain of islands bordering it -- they have less ocean-facing coastline than Morocco, Portugal, and even Mauritania. Next time you read about the PRC (a) trying to assert naval power in the South China Sea, or (b) maintaining claims to Taiwan despite having never controlled it, think of this map and the near complete absence of the PR…

this seems wrong to me. If you look at a map, China has a fair amount of coastline. Do I have this wrong?

The PRC is almost completely surrounded at sea by other island nations which form a near complete "archipelago landlock" that doesn't exist (as far as I know) anywhere else in the world.

So while it is true that China has lots of coastline, it can't project that coastline out into the Pacific Ocean because it is blocked. News reporting about China's actions often misses this important motivator.

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#13

Post by tmhedberg »

eurleif wrote: post #9

It would be cooler if it took the shape of the beach into account, and showed what would be across the ocean if you were oriented along the tangent line.

That would be difficult, since coastlines are essentially fractal.

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#15

Post by jpatokal »

eob wrote: post #7

This really shows just how "landlocked" [1] the People's Republic of China is by the chain of islands bordering it -- they have less ocean-facing coastline than Morocco, Portugal, and even Mauritania. Next time you read about the PRC (a) trying to assert naval power in the South China Sea, or (b) maintaining claims to Taiwan despite having never controlled it, think of this map and the near complete absence of the PR…

"Landlocked" is stretching it. It's >800 miles from Kagoshima to Taipei, >300mi from Kaohsiung to Laoag, and ~680mi from Laoag to Hainan. Add in the Tsushima Straits and the bit between Hainan and Vietnam, and that's over 2000 mi of ocean that you'd need to blockade to block China from the Pacific.

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#16

Post by pcl »

eob wrote: post #7

This really shows just how "landlocked" [1] the People's Republic of China is by the chain of islands bordering it -- they have less ocean-facing coastline than Morocco, Portugal, and even Mauritania. Next time you read about the PRC (a) trying to assert naval power in the South China Sea, or (b) maintaining claims to Taiwan despite having never controlled it, think of this map and the near complete absence of the PR…

I think that the choice of projection works against China here, since it has more southerly exposed coastline. Also, much of its exposure isn't due-east. I bet a projection with less polar distortion and some sort of tangent-based algorithm would paint a more accurate picture.

But all that said, there definitely are a lot of islands between China and the Pacific.

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#17

Post by mmanfrin »

tmhedberg wrote: post #13
eurleif wrote: post #9

It would be cooler if it took the shape of the beach into account, and showed what would be across the ocean if you were oriented along the tangent line.

That would be difficult, since coastlines are essentially fractal.

Relevant Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coastline_paradox

Re: If you’re on the beach, this map shows you what’s across the ocean

#18

Post by prawn »

Suggests a project for someone to make a little play app which lets you stand on a beach, aim your phone and discover the next landmass in a given direction.

Or likewise, "looking" down through the Earth. What's on the opposite site of where I'm standing right now (including detailing the oceans and seas).

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