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Images courtesy of centralasiatravel.com, bakingshop.com.

I realize that Christmas has come and gone, but I just had to share this neat article that so aptly displays how GIS (Geographic Information Systems) can be utilized to sort out even the most extraordinary of puzzles: “Santa Claus should live in Kyrgyzstan.”

“Experts at the consulting engineering company SWECO have come to the conclusion that Santa Claus should live in Kyrgyzstan. By starting his journey there, Santa can achieve the most efficient around-the-world trip to distribute Christmas gifts. He can eliminate time-consuming detours and avoid subjecting his reindeer to undue strain”(From SWECO’s website).

As the blurb above indicates, engineers at the Swedish Company SWECO employed GIS to determine that Santa Claus should start his Christmas Eve sleigh ride in Kyrgyzstan and travel west around the globe. Apparently, this will maximize travel efficiency and ensure that he is able to fully circumnavigate the Earth by the time that bright-eyed children around the world clamor to open their presents on Christmas morning.

To arrive at this conclusion, the engineers assessed data related to planetary rotation, population densities of the world’s children, and additional demographic information. Kyrgyzstan, specifically the location of Latitude: (N) 40.40 °, Longitude: (E) 74.24 °, was ultimately identified as the ideal launching point due to its proximity to the population centers of China and India, and its central position in the northern hemisphere where nearly 90% of Earth’s human population is found. By journeying in a westward direction, Santa can work against the rotation of the Earth, thereby doubling the time available to deliver gifts.

Personally, I have a few lingering questions regarding the comprehensiveness of SWECO’s methodology. For example, was religious affiliation taken into account as a demographic variable? While China and India may be home to the world’s first and second largest populations of children, a recent feature in National Geographic magazine revealed that only 8% of China’s population, 6% of Indians, and one third of the world’s total citizens identify as Christian (“States of Faith,” Culture/Geography, NGM December 2007, source: World Christian Database). And even if great numbers of children in these two countries were counting on a visit from Santa, why then should he start in Kyrgyzstan fly east, and then backtrack west? Why wouldn’t he just start in Japan, instead?

Additionally, were prevailing trade winds considered in designing the flight path? At what altitude should he fly? I just might have to email SWECO’s ‘press officer’ to find out more; I’ll be sure to keep you posted if I learn any additional information about the process of analysis. This would be an excellent project for a GIS student to take on to see whether they would come to the same conclusions. Of course, none of this seems to be bothering the Kyrgyz people: In a country where no more than 25% of the population practices the Christian faith (at least 75% of the population is Muslim), the government has announced plans to christen one of country’s many snowy peaks “Mount Santa Claus”, and will host an international Santa Claus Congress next year!

Fascinating, no? This story was certainly on my mind over the holidays—first pre-Christmas each time I saw a commercial advertising a GPS device, and again as I sat in traffic for over twelve hours while driving back to Washington, D.C., from Boston. I kept thinking: There’s got to be a better way. If only I had a couple of Swedish engineers in the back seat to optimize my route…and maybe a little magic, too (check out the last paragraph of the SWECO article. I can’t help but chuckle every time I read it)!

 Sarah for My Wonderful World

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Comments

[tori]

nice story! hope everyone in the my wonderful world team is doing well.
- tori

[edj]

LOL! I think you spent way too much time thinking about this :) Fascinating though. I suppose his visits to China and India wouldn't take up too much of his time.