Sorry but, the first comment I had seeing that map was, Minish Cap world map. It literally looks like a 1:1 implementation of that map, with minor changes to it.
Well, that was I realized as well, when I made the first drafts. However I followed the directions to the GDD. This stated that the Carbon mines are on the mountain. Death Valley is at the food of the mountain and it is the barrier to Gerudo desert. Another thing is that to get to Kokiri Forest you have to go through Deku Swamp. Next River Valley goes from Zora's Domain to Lake Hylia.
Then there are the following to consider:
- Mountains go at the North end of the map. Anywhere else and you get strange and ackward perspectives.
- Hyrule Castle Town is place where the most interaction with NPC's take place. So considering it is the center of the gameplay, then it is best to place it the center of the map.
- You don't put a lake and a desert next to one another.
But one critic of the spot, Lake Hylia and Kakariko Village next to each other? Never ever in a Zelda game's life.
Why not? Lake's and rivers often attract people to live. But my primary reason for putting it there is that the living communities for the Gerudo, Sheikiah, Gorons and Zora on the west. Hylians are in the center and only the Deku live on the east. I put Kakariko Village there to balance things out.
About the size. That was a suggestion. If you read a bit back then you can see how I came to that. But feel free to make another suggestion. I'm also fine with 150 x 200 tiles or 750 x 1000.