Cartography of Europe

Europe as depicted in the "Catalan world map" of ca. 1450.

Gerardus Mercator's map of Europe (printed in 1596)

The earliest cartographic depictions of Europe are found in early world maps. In classical antiquity, Europe was assumed to cover the quarter of the globe north of the Mediterranean, an arrangement that was adhered to in medieval T and O maps.

Ptolemy's world map of the 2nd century already has a reasonably precise description of southern and western Europe, but is unaware of particulars of northern and eastern Europe. Medieval maps such as the Hereford Mappa Mundi still assume that Scandinavia is an island. Progress is made in the 16th century, and Gerard Mercator gives an accurate representation of all of Europe, including Scandinavia shown as a peninsula.

See also

• History of Cartography
• Geography of Europe
• Cartography of Asia
• Cartography of Africa
• Boundaries between continents