1512-1594. Latinized form of the name of the
Flemish map-maker Gerhard Kremer. He devised
the first modern atlas, showing Mercator's
projection in which the parallels and
meridians on maps are drawn uniformly at 90
degrees . It is often used for navigational
charts, because compass courses can be drawn
as straight lines, but the true area of
countries is increasingly distorted the
further north or south they are from the
equator. For other types, see map projection.