Putin, Russia’s ‘unfriendly list’: World map puts New Zealand in wrong place

That's not where New Zealand is. Photo / Instagram, Amazing Maps

This article was one of our best read stories of 2022.

New Zealand often gets left out of world maps (seriously, it happens a lot) so at least this is not one of those instances.

Instead, in its "Countries that are on Russia's unfriendly list", Amazing Maps has placed New Zealand west of Australia, in the Indian Ocean.

Popular Instagram account "Amazing Maps" posts regular world maps showing different kinds of data and facts about the world, and their template for the world map often leaves New Zealand out altogether, other times changes the shape of the country.

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A post shared by 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝘀 (@amazing__maps)

In this case, as it as happened before, it placed it somewhere else altogether.

Kiwi social media users noticed the geography mistake, one Twitter user asking: "Why is New Zealand in the Indian Ocean".

"New Zealand actually orbits Australia the same way the Earth orbits the Sun," another person joked.

"Oh cool. I always wanted to visit Perth. Now it's closer," someone else commented.

Others joked it is a tactical move, jumping from Pacific to the Indian Ocean so Russia can't find us.

Obviously we quietly moved to the Indian ocean from the Pacific ocean so Russia can't find us

— Zeiger (@imzeiger) March 31, 2022

Others pointed out that, considering our complicated relationship with world maps, we should just be happy to be included at all.

We’re just happy to be included on the map

— Hayseed (@Mr_nfd) March 31, 2022

As one Twitter user pointed out, regardless of where we are in this world map, at least we’re red.

At least we're red. pic.twitter.com/ihtirZUTgQ

— Therefore I Think (@LeonardVoice) March 31, 2022