A cylindrical projection can be imagined in its simplest form as a cylinder that has been wrapped around a globe at the equator. If the graticule of latitude and longitude are projected onto the cylinder and the cylinder unwrapped, then a grid-like pattern of straight lines of latitude and longitude would result.

What is cylindrical projection in simple words?

cylindrical projection, in cartography, any of numerous map projections of the terrestrial sphere on the surface of a cylinder that is then unrolled as a plane. Originally, this and other map projections were achieved by a systematic method of drawing the Earth’s meridians and latitudes on the flat surface.

What does a cylindrical projection show?

Cylindrical projections represent meridians as straight, evenly-spaced, vertical lines and parallels as straight horizontal lines. Meridians and parallels intersect at right angles, as they do on the globe.