Which property does azimuthal projection preserve?

An azimuthal projection is a type of map projection that accurately represents direction from a specific point (the center of the projection) to any other point on the map. This property makes azimuthal projections especially useful for certain applications, such as navigational charts and aerial photography, where maintaining accurate orientation and direction is critical.

While azimuthal projections excel in preserving direction, other properties such as area, distance, or scale may not be accurately represented across the entire map. For example, while one can measure an angle correctly with respect to a center point, the actual distances and areas can be distorted as one moves away from that center point. Understanding this property of azimuthal projections helps cartographers and GIS professionals select the appropriate projection for their specific mapping needs, ensuring the most relevant spatial relationships are maintained for the intended analysis or presentation.