Sketchplanations - The Podcast Digging Through the Planet: The Geography of Antipodes
Feb 24, 2026
They dig into antipodes and why most opposite points fall in the ocean. Map projections and how they warp our planet's appearance get a playful inspection. The conversation covers hemispheric land imbalance, great circle routes for flights, Earth's oblate shape affecting distances, and a thought experiment about tunneling through the planet.
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Why Most Antipodes Are In The Ocean
- Most antipodes land in oceans rather than on land.
- Jono Hey highlights that 70% of Earth is ocean and the Northern Hemisphere contains ~68% of land and ~87–90% of people, so opposite points usually fall at sea.
Surprising Country Pairings As Antipodes
- Specific country antipode examples link surprising places across the globe.
- Jono gives examples: Spain pairs with New Zealand, Hawaii with Botswana, Argentina with parts of China, and Chile overlaps Russia.
Map Projections Skew Antipode Perception
- Map projections distort our sense of where antipodes lie.
- Jono says Mercator maps emphasise the Northern Hemisphere and split the Pacific, hiding how vast ocean areas make opposite points primarily water.
