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Refugio Mariscal
Encyclopædia Britannica Editor
BIOGRAPHY

Refugio Mariscal is a Cartographer for Encyclopaedia Britannica. He joined Britannica in March 2025, bringing prior experience as a geographic information systems (GIS) analyst at national conservation-based nonprofits and as an educator at the middle and high school levels.

As GIS analyst for the National Audubon Society, Refugio oversaw all mapping outputs for the Great Lakes regional office and performed data analysis to support marsh bird conservation efforts. At American Forests, he worked on the development of mapping applications used by local governments, nonprofits, and community members to help identify areas of inequitable urban forest canopy distribution.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
NACIS | North American Cartographic Information Society
CaGIS | Cartography and Geographic Information Society

EDUCATION
B.A., Geography, minor in Environmental Science | DePaul University, Chicago, IL

IN REFUGIO’S OWN WORDS…
I’ve always been driven by curiosity about nature, history, and the ways people shape and understand the world. That curiosity has carried me from the classroom to conservation nonprofits and now to cartography, where maps are a way of telling stories and sharing knowledge about people and places. At Britannica I try to bring that same spirit of curiosity and care to every map, with the hope that it helps people see the world in new and meaningful ways.

Primary Contributions (73)
A day of thanksgiving
Which country has the most Anglicans?
Nigeriaā€”not Englandā€”has the most Anglicans in the world. The Church of Nigeria, one of the provinces of the worldwide Anglican Communion, includes about 25 million members, making it the largest Anglican church. By comparison, the Church of Englandā€”the historic mother church of Anglicanism and theā€¦
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Regional map of the West Indies showing the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles, including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and numerous smaller islands. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation, with higher elevations in orange and yellow, and labels major cities and territories, including those administered by the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and the United States. Surrounding bodies of water such as the Caribbean Sea, Gulf o West Indies
Map of South America highlighting in purple the regions where Quechuan languages are spoken, primarily along the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and smaller areas in Colombia, Chile, and northern Argentina. Map of Quechuan-speaking regions in the Andes
Map of South America highlighting in purple the regions where Quechuan languages are spoken, primarily along the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and smaller areas in Colombia, Chile, and northern Argentina. Map of Quechuan language distribution
World map highlighting the locations of six major commercial canals: the Suez Canal in Egypt, Panama Canal in Panama, Kiel Canal in Germany, Houston Ship Channel in Texas, Amsterdam-Rhine Canal in the Netherlands, and Grand Canal in China. Each canal is shown with an inset map detailing its route and nearby cities. The most important canals
Detailed map of Lake Michigan and its surrounding region in the United States, showing the lake's depth contours, nearby cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Traverse City, and major bays, islands, and connecting waterways. State boundaries for Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan are marked, with a location inset map at the bottom right. Detailed map of Lake Michigan showing the lake's depth, bordering states, connecting rivers, and nearby cities
Map showing Lake Erie and its surrounding region, including parts of the United States and Canada. The map details major cities such as Cleveland, Buffalo, Toledo, and Detroit in the U.S., and Windsor, London, and Hamilton in Canada, as well as nearby lakes, bays, islands, and water depths. Detailed map of Lake Erie showing the lake's depth, bordering states, connecting rivers, and nearby cities
World map displaying the geographic ranges of lynx species with color-coded areas: the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in orange across Canada and Alaska, the bobcat (Lynx rufus) in green across the United States and parts of Mexico, the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in shades of blue and purple across Europe and northern Asia, and the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) in red in a small region of southwestern Europe. The geographic ranges of living lynxes
Map of Africa showing the geographic ranges of all four giraffe species, each marked with distinct colors. The northern giraffe occupies scattered areas in West and Central Africa, the southern giraffe ranges across parts of southern Africa, the reticulated giraffe is found in northeastern Kenya and southern Somalia, and the Masai giraffe inhabits central and southern Kenya and Tanzania. Geographic ranges of the living species of giraffes in Africa
Map showing the Great Lakes-Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario-along with their surrounding drainage basin, depth variations indicated by shading, and major nearby cities in both the United States and Canada. State, provincial, and international boundaries are marked, and a small locator globe at the bottom left highlights the region's position in North America. The Great Lakes and their drainage basin
Map of the northern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico highlighting the location and circular outline of the Chicxulub crater, which is about 180 kilometers in diameter and partly extends into the Gulf of Mexico. The map also shows nearby cities such as Merida, Cancun, Campeche, and Playa del Carmen, as well as international borders with Belize and Guatemala. An inset globe marks the region's location in the Americas. Map of Chicxulub crater on the YucatƔn Peninsula
World map displaying marine protected areas in blue-green, highlighting regions in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans. Key areas such as the Galapagos Marine Reserve, Great Barrier Reef, and Papahanaumokuakea are labeled and listed below the map. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) cover roughly 10 percent of the world's oceans.
Interactive slider comparing Equal Earth and Mercator world map projections, showing the Mercator map's enlarged high-latitude regions and Antarctica. Equal Earth vs. Mercator projections
World map highlighting five regions where agriculture and cities independently originated, marked in color: Mesoamerica in central Mexico, the Andes in western South America, the Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, the Indus Valley in South Asia, and China along the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. Each region is labeled and shaded to show its approximate location. Cradles of civilization
Historical map of the Mongol Empire at the death of Kublai Khan in 1294, showing the empire divided into four main khanates: the Golden Horde in the northwest, the Ilkhanate in the southwest, the Chagatai Khanate in central Asia, and the Yuan Dynasty in the east, covering much of China. Major cities such as Karakorum, Beijing (Khanbaliq), Baghdad, and Constantinople are marked. Mongol empire
Physical map of Venezuela highlighting major mountain ranges, highlands, plains, rivers, and national parks. The Andes and Cordillera de Merida run in the west, the Coastal and Interior Ranges parallel the northern coast, and the Guiana Highlands occupy the southeast, featuring Angel Falls and Mount Roraima. Major national parks are numbered and listed. A locator globe in the corner shows Venezuela's position in northern South America. Physical features of Venezuela
Locator map highlighting the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, near Lake Kivu and the border with Rwanda, with surrounding countries and major cities labeled for regional context. Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Map of the Horn of Africa, highlighting the core countries of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Djibouti in solid light green, with Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda shown in striped light green to indicate broader definitions. Surrounding countries and bodies of water, including the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean, are also labeled. An inset globe marks the region's location in Africa. Horn of Africa
Map of South America highlighting in purple the regions where Quechuan languages are spoken, primarily along the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and smaller areas in Colombia, Chile, and northern Argentina. Map of Quechuan language distribution
Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz
Historical map of the Mongol Empire at the death of Kublai Khan in 1294, showing the empire divided into four main khanates: the Golden Horde in the northwest, the Ilkhanate in the southwest, the Chagatai Khanate in central Asia, and the Yuan Dynasty in the east, covering much of China. Major cities such as Karakorum, Beijing (Khanbaliq), Baghdad, and Constantinople are marked. Mongol empire at the death of Kublai Khan (1294)
Map of the Korean Peninsula highlighting North Korea and South Korea in orange, with the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) marked in a lighter orange separating the two countries. Surrounding countries, including China, Russia, and Japan, are also shown for context. Korean Peninsula and the Demilitarized Zone
The Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion
FLAā€“JNIM Attacks in Mali on April 25, 2026 FLAā€“JNIM Attacks in Mali on April 25, 2026
Map showing the distribution of ilish fish (Tenualosa ilisha) in the Indo-Pacific region, with shaded areas highlighting coastal and riverine zones from the Horn of Africa, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal and parts of Southeast Asia. Distribution of ilish (Tenualosa ilisha) in the Indo-Pacific region
Map of Japan and surrounding seas, showing and labeling the major Japanese islands including Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Sado, Tsushima, Okinawa, Tanegashima, Yakushima, Amami Great Island, as well as the Ryukyu, Izu, and Bonin Islands. Neighboring countries such as Russia, China, North Korea, and South Korea are also partially visible. Major islands of Japan
Map of South America highlighting in purple the regions where Quechuan languages are spoken, primarily along the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and smaller areas in Colombia, Chile, and northern Argentina. Map of Quechuan language distribution
Map of Lake Ontario showing its location on the border between southern Canada and northern United States, with surrounding cities such as Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston, Rochester, and Oswego, as well as islands, connecting rivers, and water depth contours. Detailed map of Lake Ontario showing the lake's depth, bordering states, connecting rivers, and nearby cities
Map showing key centers of revolt during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, with labeled cities such as Delhi, Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jhansi, and Calcutta, highlighting major locations of conflict across British India. Key centers
Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago
Map of South America highlighting in purple the regions where Quechuan languages are spoken, primarily along the Andes Mountains in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and smaller areas in Colombia, Chile, and northern Argentina. Map of Quechuan-speaking regions in South America
Map of the United States showing major time zones, including Eastern (UTC-5), Central (UTC-6), Mountain (UTC-7), Pacific (UTC-8), Alaska (UTC-9), Hawaii-Aleutian (UTC-10), Atlantic (UTC-4), Samoa (UTC-11), and Chamorro (UTC+10). Each time zone is color-coded, with notes on areas not observing daylight saving time, such as most of Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories. Time zones in the United States
A map of the Eastern Hemisphere during the Pleistocene, showing the geographic extents of several species of Homo that are thought to have existed at that time. A map showing the ranges of various species of Homo that coexisted with one another during the second half of the Pleistocene Epoch.
China China
Migrant routes through the DariƩn Gap Migrant routes through the DariƩn Gap
Map showing the German Empire as it existed from 1871 to 1918, with its borders outlined and regions color-coded. The map highlights the Kingdom of Prussia in green and the full extent of the German Empire in yellow, including regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, Westphalia, and East Prussia. Neighboring countries like France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria-Hungary, and the Russian Empire are also labeled. Major cities such as Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg are marked. German Empire
Antarctic territorial claims Antarctic territorial claims
British territory and Boer republics in Southern Africa c. 1895 British territory and Boer republics in Southern Africa c. 1895
Map of Balkan states, with dark purple for countries usually included: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Light purple marks countries sometimes included: Moldova, Greece, and Turkey. Map of the Balkan states, with surrounding countries and seas noted
Political map of Cambodia showing national and regional boundaries, major cities, and region capitals. Phnom Penh, the national capital, is marked centrally. The map also labels neighboring countries-Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam-and includes a locator inset highlighting Cambodia's position in Southeast Asia. Cambodia
Physical map of Cambodia highlighting major natural features such as the Cardamom and Damrei Mountains in the southwest, the Dangrek Mountains in the north, and the Central Highlands to the east. The map shows key rivers like the Mekong, the large Tonle Sap lake in the central region, and various national parks. International borders with Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam are marked, and an inset locator map shows Cambodia's position in Southeast Asia. Physical features of Cambodia
The Gulf Arab states The Gulf Arab states
Map of Silicon Valley with colored markers showing tech locations: blue historically important offices, green HQs, orange offices, and purple clusters across the Bay Area. Interactive Silicon Valley map showing major tech hubs and office locations
Kordofan Region of Sudan Kordofan Region of Sudan
World map highlighting locations of eight important straits: Bab el-Mandeb, Bering, Malacca, Hormuz, Magellan, Messina, Bosporus, and Gibraltar. Important straits
Strait of Hormuz Strait of Hormuz
Map of Boston's Big Dig Map of Boston's Big Dig
Physical map of Italy highlighting major mountain ranges such as the Alps and Apennines, principal peaks, national parks, islands including Sicily and Sardinia, and surrounding seas. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation and includes a locator inset showing Italy's position in Europe. Map showing the physical features of Italy
Map of the Pacific Islands region showing political boundaries, major island groups, and countries such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, French Polynesia, and Kiribati. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation and ocean depth, with key islands and capitals labeled throughout the central and southwestern Pacific Ocean. Pacific Islands
Map showing Lake Huron and its surrounding regions, with the United States (Michigan) on the west and Canada (Ontario) on the east. The map details islands, coastal towns, depths of the lake, and connecting waterways, including the Straits of Mackinac and Georgian Bay. Detailed map of Lake Huron showing the lake's depth, bordering states, connecting rivers, and nearby cities
Political map of Kazakhstan showing international and provincial boundaries, major cities, and provincial capitals. The national capital, Astana, is marked with a star. Neighboring countries including Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are labeled, and the Caspian Sea borders the west. An inset locator map highlights Kazakhstan's position within Eurasia. Kazakhstan
Physical map of Kazakhstan highlighting major geographic features such as the Caspian Depression, Ustyurt Plateau, Kazakh Uplands, Betpaqdala and Qyzylqum Deserts, Altai and Shu-Ile Mountains, and major lakes including the Aral Sea, Lake Balkhash, Lake Zaisan, and Lake Alakol. Neighboring countries and bodies of water are labeled, and a locator inset shows Kazakhstan's position within Eurasia. Elevation is indicated with color shading. Physical features of Kazakhstan
Map of the contiguous United States showing current congressional district boundaries for the 119th Congress, with Massachusetts highlighted for state focus. Redistricting over time
World map highlighting the global distribution of mangrove forests, shown in pink along tropical and subtropical coastlines in regions of Central and South America, West and East Africa, South and Southeast Asia, northern Australia, and some Pacific islands. Map of mangrove distribution worldwide
World map illustrating the historical trade routes and linguistic spread of the words for tea (shown in green, originating from Min Nan Chinese te) and chai (shown in purple, originating from Chinese cha). Arrows trace how these terms traveled to different regions, with tea spreading mainly via sea routes to Western Europe and parts of Africa, and chai spreading overland through Asia. Cha if by land, tea if by sea
Nile River valley in ancient Egypt Nile River valley in ancient Egypt
Locator map of Guyana marking Jonestown in the country's northwest interior and Georgetown on the Atlantic coast, with Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname shown nearby. Jonestown, Guyana
Map of China highlighting major physical features with labels in Pinyin. The map shows mountain ranges such as the Himalayas, Kunlun, Altun, and Qin Mountains; highlands and plateaus including the Plateau of Tibet and Loess Plateau; major basins like the Junggar and Sichuan Basins; deserts such as the Takla Makan and Gobi; and significant rivers including the Huang He (Yellow River), Chang Jiang (Yangtze River), and Zhu Jiang (Pearl River). Key lakes, nature reserves, and neighboring countries a Physical features of China
Israel-Hezbollah war Israel-Hezbollah war
Bathymetric map of the Sea of Japan / East Sea, between Japan, the Korean Peninsula, Russia, and China. Shaded water depths show major features including the Japan Basin, Yamato Basin, Tsushima Basin, Yamato Ridge, and Toyama Trough, with surrounding straits and coastal cities. Sea of Japan / East Sea
Map highlighting China in solid orange, showing its location in East Asia and its borders with countries including Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Taiwan is shown in purple as self-governing but claimed by China. Disputed border areas are marked with letters and explained in a legend. Surrounding bodies of water such as the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Sea of Japan are labeled, and an inset globe shows China's posit China
Distribution of fruit bats and Nipah virus disease outbreaks Distribution of fruit bats and Nipah virus disease outbreaks
Map highlighting the location of Fall River in southeastern Massachusetts, showing its position near the Rhode Island border and along the Atlantic coast, with surrounding states including Connecticut, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. A small inset globe in the upper left marks the region within North America. Map of Fall River, Massachusetts
Map titled 2026 Iran War showing the Middle East region, with Iran, Yemen, Israel, and Lebanon shaded red to indicate countries directly engaged in conflict. Several neighboring countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman, are shaded purple to show they are targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. Red diamond icons mark locations of U.S. military sites in the region. The Strait of Hormuz is labeled as affected by the conflict. 2026 Iran war
Map of Brazil displaying the country's major biomes with color-coded regions: Amazonia (Amazon rainforest) in green, Cerrado in yellow, Caatinga in red, Pantanal in purple, Mata Atlantica in blue, and Pampa in orange. Illustrations of representative animals and plants are drawn over each biome, such as a toucan in the Amazon, a giant anteater in the Cerrado, and a monkey in the Atlantic Forest. Major biomes of Brazil
Map of Brazil displaying the country's major biomes with color-coded regions: Amazon Rainforest in green, Cerrado savanna in yellow, Caatinga thorny forest in pink, Pantanal wetlands in purple, Mata Atlantica coastal forest in blue, and Pampas plains in orange. Illustrations of characteristic animals and plants are shown within each biome. Major biomes of Brazil
Azimuthal projection map centered on North Korea, showing concentric range circles for North Korean ballistic missiles. The circles illustrate the maximum reach of four missile types: Hwasong-6 (500 km), Hwasong-7 (1,200-1,500 km), Hwasong-16B (5,500 km), and Hwasong-17 (15,000 km), covering regions from East Asia to much of the globe, including the United States and Europe. North Korean ballistic missile capabilities
Detailed map of Lake Superior, showing surrounding U.S. states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan) and Canadian province Ontario. The map highlights major cities, bays, islands, peninsulas, depth contours, and nearby water bodies, with an inset globe locating Lake Superior in North America. Detailed map of Lake Superior showing the lake's depth, bordering states, connecting rivers, and nearby cities.