# Plotting rectangular UTM map

**URL:** <https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/plotting-rectangular-utm-map/3516>\
**Category:** Q&A\
**Created:** [December 6, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/plotting-rectangular-utm-map/3516 "2022-12-06T11:33:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bwwjohnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@bwwjohnson](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/bwwjohnson)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/plotting-rectangular-utm-map/3516/1 "2022-12-06T11:33:46Z")

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Hi there, I’m trying to plot an overview map for the country of Azerbaijan. My colleague would like it in UTM coordinates, but at this scale, the map borders are very curved, which doesn’t fit well into a set of rectangular maps in a paper figure.

Any advice on making the map rectangular while keeping the UTM projection? Or is the best advice just to use mercator?

Cheers!

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**Author:** ![Esteban82](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/esteban82/32/54_2.png) [@Esteban82](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/Esteban82)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2022, 11:51am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/plotting-rectangular-utm-map/3516/2 "2022-12-06T11:51:16Z")

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Hi!!

Yes, you can get a rectangular map. Just add `+r` in the region. Check this [example](https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/dev/cookbook/map-projections.html#transverse-mercator-projection-jt-jt).

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**Author:** ![bwwjohnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@bwwjohnson](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/bwwjohnson)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2022, 11:52am UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/plotting-rectangular-utm-map/3516/3 "2022-12-06T11:52:25Z")

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Amazing, thank you for the quick reply! 🙂