Before satellites and modern surveying, maps could preserve mistakes for centuries. Some imaginary places became so convincing that explorers actually went looking for them.
1. Bermeja
For centuries, maps showed Bermeja as an island in the Gulf of Mexico, northwest of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Its supposed location became politically important because the island could have affected Mexico’s maritime boundaries. In 2009, Mexico sent a research vessel to search the area. Nothing was found. (ResearchGate)
2. Buss Island
In 1578, explorer Martin Frobisher reported an island near Greenland.
It appeared on maps for centuries despite repeated failures to locate it. The most likely explanation is a navigational error combined with poor visibility and difficult conditions.
3. Crocker Land
In 1906, American explorer Robert Peary claimed to have seen a large landmass in the Arctic.
Other expeditions searched for it but found nothing. A 1913 expedition eventually crossed the area and confirmed that Crocker Land did not exist.
4. Royal Company’s Islands
Nineteenth-century maps placed a group of islands southwest of Tasmania.
Several expeditions searched for them without success. Despite the evidence, they remained on some charts for decades before finally disappearing from maps.
5. Sannikov Land
Russian explorer Yakov Sannikov reported seeing land north of Siberia in 1811.
Later expeditions searched for it but found only open ocean. Scientists now believe the supposed island may have been an optical illusion, sea ice, or distant landforms.
6. The Isle of Demons
Early maps placed a mysterious island near Newfoundland, sometimes associated with stories of dangerous spirits and strange sounds.
The island was never reliably located, but the name survived on European maps for generations before gradually disappearing. (HISTORY)
The strangest part is how long some of these places survived. Once an imaginary island appeared on a respected map, later cartographers often copied it rather than risk removing something they couldn’t personally disprove.