Refers to a system of projection generally used in cartography and named for Gerardus Mercator, who introduced this projection on a map in 1569. It is generally classified as a cylindrical projection, even though it is actually derived mathematically. It is characterized by having parallels of latitude represented as straight horizontal lines and meridians of longitude represented as vertical straight lines at right angles to the equator. It is often used for navigation charts because any straight line is a line of true bearing that allows navigators to plot a straight-line course; it often considered impractical for world maps because the scale is distorted and areas farther away from the equator appear disproportionately large.
