The Latitudinal and Longitudinal Extent of the Mainland

The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the mainland is about 30 degrees. However, despite this fact, the east-west extent appears to be smaller than the north-south extent. This phenomenon can be explained by several factors.

Earth's Shape and Curvature
- The Earth is not a perfect sphere but is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator, resulting in an oblate spheroid shape.
- Due to this shape, the distance covered in terms of degrees of longitude decreases as one moves towards the poles. This is known as the convergence of meridians.
- Therefore, even though the latitudinal extent remains constant at 30 degrees, the actual distance covered in terms of kilometers decreases as one moves towards the poles.

Contraction of Meridians
- The meridians of longitude converge towards the poles, which means that the distance between two meridians decreases as one moves towards higher latitudes.
- This contraction of meridians makes the east-west extent appear smaller than the north-south extent.
- For example, at the equator, the distance between two meridians may be relatively large, but at higher latitudes, the same degree of longitude covers a smaller distance.
- This phenomenon is more pronounced at higher latitudes, resulting in a compressed east-west extent compared to the north-south extent.

Map Projection
- Maps are representations of the Earth's surface on a flat surface, and map projections are techniques used to convert the curved surface of the Earth onto a two-dimensional map.
- Different map projections have different distortions, and it is impossible to create a perfect representation of the curved Earth on a flat map.
- Most map projections distort the sizes and shapes of landmasses, particularly near the poles.
- As a result, when we look at a map, the east-west extent may appear smaller than the north-south extent due to the distortion caused by the chosen map projection.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of the mainland is about 30 degrees. However, due to the Earth's shape and curvature, the contraction of meridians, and the distortions caused by map projections, the east-west extent appears smaller than the north-south extent. It is important to consider these factors when interpreting maps and understanding the true extent of different regions on the Earth's surface.