Google has now mapped the surface of Mars and the bottom of the ocean. So what’s left, a person has to wonder — what remains uncharted?

The answer used to be North Korea. But Google recently released its cartographic impression of the Hermit Kingdom, and as usual, it comes with all the Googley goodies: just move your cursor across Kim Il-sung Square, and you’ll be met with site labels, embedded photographs, Wikipedia entries, directions, ratings and reviews.

While researching a book on North Korea, I spent several years trying to find maps of its major cities. Military, topographical, agricultural — I would have taken a sketch on the back of a napkin. But maps of any kind were nearly impossible to come by.

When I finally visited Pyongyang, the capital, in 2007, acquiring a map was a top priority. But the only guide I found wore red lipstick.