Flat, two-dimensional maps can look different because the world is actually curved. This means map-makers need to make compromises when drawing maps. These different map representations are called ...

Tom PattersonThe Equal Earth map projection. An accurate world map is something that has evaded cartographers for centuries. But this new design just might make distorted maps a thing of the past.

As illustrated in the map below, based on data from the latest U.S. Geological Survey report on rare earths, China holds the world's largest rare earth reserves, estimated at 44 million metric tons.