The Mollweide projection is a type of map projection used to represent the Earth's surface. It is an equal-area projection, meaning that it preserves the relative sizes of landmasses, making it useful for comparing areas. The map appears oval-shaped, with the horizontal axis representing the equator and the vertical axis showing the meridians. Developed by Karl Mollweide in the early 19th century, this projection is often used in thematic maps where area comparison is important. While it distorts shapes, especially near the edges, it provides a clear view of global distributions, making it popular in various fields, including geography and cartography.