Depends on what you mean by "false"? In a scientific sense, the position of North is arbitrary because we have no evidence to suggest a "correct" way up for our

Depends on what you mean by "false"? In a scientific sense, the position of North is arbitrary because we have no evidence to suggest a "correct" way up for our relative position in the universe. The poles are arbitrarily named as a reference point and a Northern Hemisphere dominance in cartography was probably what lead to the orientation of what most people recognise as the "right way up". In non-scientific terms, the orientation of the map is a fairly universally accepted format from which most people work, so in that sense it is necessary that North is at the top because that's what people understand. I'm sure someone with a little more knowledge of cartographic history/time to research will fill in some blanks here but I'm fairly certain the orientation we give to globes and maps was from European influence, consequently it makes sense for them to place themselves at the "top" half of the world rather than the "bottom".