The Mollweide Projection is a type of map projection used to represent the entire surface of the Earth. It is an equal-area projection, meaning that it accurately depicts the relative sizes of landmasses, making it useful for comparing areas. The projection distorts shapes, especially near the edges, but provides a visually appealing representation of global data. This projection is named after the German mathematician Karl Mollweide, who developed it in the early 19th century. It is often used in thematic mapping, such as displaying population density or climate data, due to its ability to maintain area proportions across the globe.