Cartographers usually put north at the top of maps, but that is only a convention.

The longer version

Orientation on a map is a choice, not a physical fact. Early charts often placed east at the top, and some traditions centred a particular holy city. North became standard partly because of the compass and partly through habit in navigation and printing. Nothing about the planet favours one direction.

Projection matters too, since flattening a sphere onto paper distorts shapes, areas or distances no matter which way the map faces. South up maps exist and are perfectly valid, and upside down atlases are sold as curiosities. Reading direction is learned, so people grow used to whichever arrangement they see most often.

Where this entry sits

These facts wander across maps, borders, deserts, rivers, mountains, and the extreme corners of the natural world. Each one is short and self-contained, offering a small surprise about places you may never visit rather than anything you actually need. The full list sits on the Geography page, where every entry is listed in order.