Which map projection is used for areas that are predominantly north-south direction?

• A. Polyconic Projection
• B. Mercator Projection
• C. Lambert Conformal Projection
• D. Robinson Projection

Answer: (A)

When you map an area that is mainly tall and oriented north–south, the goal is to keep distortions along the meridians in check rather than exaggerating distances away from them. Among common projections, the polyconic approach handles latitudes in a way that reduces scale distortion along the north–south direction across a region, making it a sensible choice for tall, north–south extents.

The Mercator is a navigation-friendly projection that preserves shapes locally, but its scale grows rapidly with latitude, so distances north and south of the equator become increasingly distorted—unhelpful for accurately representing north–south extent. The Lambert Conformal Conic is particularly well suited for regions that are wider east–west than tall north–south, since it minimizes distortion along standard parallels in that orientation. The Robinson is a general-purpose compromise with moderate distortion across the map, not optimized for either north–south or east–west dominance.

So, for predominantly north–south direction, the polyconic projection offers a better balance of distortions along meridians, making it the best fit among the options.