Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
1 comment 
The Cartographic Representation with Brazil at the Center and the South Up, Defended by the President of IBGE, Márcio Pochmann, Was Mocked by the Popular Profile “Terrible Maps”, Generating Millions of Views and New Jokes About the IBGE World Map.
The controversial IBGE world map, which presents Brazil in a central position and the Southern Hemisphere on top, was again subject to mockery on social media this Sunday, May 11, 2025. This time, the ridicule came from the international profile “Terrible Maps”, known for its humor with unusual cartographic representations and with nearly 3.5 million followers.
The post, which mocked the perspective of the IBGE world map as the view of the “Brazilian government”, quickly went viral. The episode reignited the debate and the jokes about the intent of the institute’s president, Márcio Pochmann, with the original release of the map.
The “Terrible Map”: How the International Profile Portrayed the Controversial IBGE World Map
Last Sunday (11), the profile “Terrible Maps”, which specializes in making humor about what are considered bad or unusual maps, published a reproduction of the world map defended by Márcio Pochmann. With the caption “World map according to the Brazilian government”, the post displayed the representation with Brazil at the center. In this perspective, North America appeared in the location where South American countries and the South Pole are conventionally depicted.
-
Farmers were digging a well during a drought and found a buried army from 2,200 years ago: more than 8,000 life-sized terracotta soldiers guarded the tomb of China’s first emperor without the modern world knowing.
-
10 giant tortoises are reintroduced and, in just 6 months, trigger changes that lead scientists to investigate a phenomenon absent for 180 years; the numbers recorded on the island impress researchers from around the world.
-
It’s not just Brazil: European country allows hunting of wild boars with thermal sights and night vision in the 2026-2027 season after the animals’ advance causes damage to crops, livestock, and roads.
-
Those who were planning to retire in 2026 need to recalculate their route because the minimum age and points have increased while the Supreme Federal Court’s decision changes the special retirement rule.
This choice of representation in the IBGE world map, which inverts the traditional orientation of the globe, was the target of satire.
Immediate Repercussions: Millions of Views and the Resurgence of Jokes About the IBGE World Map
The publication by “Terrible Maps” about the IBGE world map had a significant reach. By the end of the Sunday morning, the post had already accumulated nearly two million views by the night of the same day.
With this new international exposure, Pochmann’s initiative reignited a wave of jokes on social media. Many users mocked the original idea behind the creation of the map, which aimed to highlight Brazil’s leadership.
The Original Justification by Márcio Pochmann
The proposal for an IBGE world map with Brazil highlighted and the South oriented upwards was presented by Márcio Pochmann with a specific justification. According to him, the aim was to “emphasize Brazil’s current leadership position in important international forums such as BRICS and Mercosur”.
Pochmann mentioned the holding of COP 30 in Brazil in 2025 as another factor motivating this new cartographic representation of the world, in light of the IBGE world map.
“Terrible Maps”: The Influential Profile Specializing in Cartographic Humor on Social Media
The profile “Terrible Maps” is a popular page on social media, with nearly 3.5 million combined followers on Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter). Its specialty is sharing and commenting on maps considered “terrible”, whether due to errors, bizarre proposals, or humorous representations.
By choosing the IBGE world map as the theme for one of its posts, the profile amplified the discussion about the Brazilian cartographic representation to an international audience, placing it in a context of humor and critique.
Quanta bobagem, tento achar a razão para isso e só enxergo a maluquice de um governo da republica de Lula, e para fazer jus a garota propaganda so podia ser Dilma.