Maps are more than a reflection of geography. They tell us as much about ourselves – or the map-maker – as they do the place that they depict. And, sometimes, in fairly whimsical ways.

The London-based dealer and expert Ashley Baynton-Williams has picked out a collection of the world’s most bizarre maps for his book The Curious Map Book, some of which are on display in the British Library’s current exhibition Maps and the 20th Century: Drawing the Line. Despite the creativity of these maps, which range from games to political cartoons, they are as instructive as they are imaginative. “It is a very immediate insight into the mindset both of the maker and, in a sense, of the viewer. If you’re making a map, anyone making the map puts their opinions into it – but you’re also targeting an audience that you think is going to buy it. The more it appeals to the market, the more you’re going to sell,” he tells BBC Culture. “Some of these maps are really very unsubtle when it comes to giving a world view.”

Each of the following 11 bizarre maps illuminates a different point of modern British history.