Which projection is desired for a world map east-west extent?

• A. Mercator projection
• B. Polyconic projection
• C. Lambert conformal projection
• D. Cylindrical with two standard parallels

Answer: (C)

When you map the world with an emphasis on the east-west extent, you want a projection that keeps local shapes accurate across the broad horizontal span. The Lambert conformal projection is conformal, meaning it preserves angles and small shapes, so coastlines and borders look correct over large east-west areas. By using two standard parallels, distortion is minimized along those parallels, giving a more balanced representation across the globe. Other options either distort sizes badly toward the poles (as Mercator does, which warps the map far from the equator) or are not as well suited for maintaining shape consistently across a global east-west view. So, the Lambert conformal projection best fits a world map’s east-west extent.