Why is the world map/globe drawn that way up?

[samhaldenby]

Basically, when you look at a world map, with Greenland and Russia near the top and New Zealand and Argentina etc at the bottom, why is it not the other way around?

I appreciate that Greenland etc are in the 'North' and New Zealand in the 'South', but these are just words. Is it the case that when the maps were first compiled, that it could have just as easily been the case that Greenland would have been in the south and new Zealand in the north (50:50 chance), or is there a real reason we draw Earth the way up it is?

Hope that made some sort of sense, and thanks!

[Brian L]

Apparently, it's because of the ancient dude Ptolemy, who did a lot of neat things over the course of his life.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_159.html