Cartographic Analogies

New Jersey in the Middle East

While poring over maps in preparation for a recent trip I took to the Middle East, I noticed a remarkable similarity between Israel and New Jersey. The two entities are roughly the same size, and their coastlines and physical features bear some similarities. Though New Jersey does not occupy territories inhabited by poor and desperate refugees, it is one of the wealthiest states in the nation while also being home to some of the poorest and most segregated cities in America. I don't know if this is the correct terminology for this cartographic innovation, but it was also inspired by several maps I saw on Strange Maps, including this one, of French cities transposed onto Dutch ones with similar climates, and this one, of places in California used as stand-ins for different world regions in Hollywood films. I won't reveal all of the analogies I've used in this map, and I have taken some cartographic liberties – I haven't tried to stretch the analogy too far beyond rough location and relative population size. If you can guess all of them, email me, and I will send you a 5"x7" print of the map.