diff --git a/umap/settings/base.py b/umap/settings/base.py
index 2bc90cc2..6f08f060 100644
--- a/umap/settings/base.py
+++ b/umap/settings/base.py
@@ -147,6 +147,9 @@ LEAFLET_STORAGE_EXTRA_URLS = {
 }
 SITE_URL = "http://umap.org"
 UMAP_DEMO_SITE = False
+UMAP_EXCLUDE_DEFAULT_MAPS = False
+UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE = 5
+UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE_OWNER = 10
 MAP_SHORT_URL_NAME = "umap_short_url"
 UMAP_USE_UNACCENT = False
 UMAP_FEEDBACK_LINK = "http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/UMap#Feedback_and_help"  # noqa
diff --git a/umap/settings/local.py.sample b/umap/settings/local.py.sample
index 0bc52bdf..f65e4993 100644
--- a/umap/settings/local.py.sample
+++ b/umap/settings/local.py.sample
@@ -64,6 +64,16 @@ SOCIAL_AUTH_BACKEND_ERROR_URL = "/"
 # UMAP_SHOWCASE_PK = 1156
 LEAFLET_STORAGE_ALLOW_ANONYMOUS = True
 UMAP_DEMO_SITE = True
+
+# This setting will exclude empty maps (in fact, it will exclude all maps where
+# the default center has not been updated)
+UMAP_EXCLUDE_DEFAULT_MAPS = False
+
+# How many maps should be showcased on the main page resp. on the user page
+UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE = 5
+# How many maps should be showcased on the user page, if owner
+UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE_OWNER = 10
+
 SITE_URL = "http://localhost:8019"
 SHORT_SITE_URL = "http://s.hort"
 
@@ -90,3 +100,8 @@ MEDIA_ROOT = '/home/umap/.virtualenvs/umap/var/uploads'
 
 # MapQuest API key
 MAPQUEST_KEY = ''
+
+# Default map location for new maps
+LEAFLET_LONGITUDE = 2
+LEAFLET_LATITUDE = 51
+LEAFLET_ZOOM = 6
diff --git a/umap/views.py b/umap/views.py
index 6aacf319..397874fc 100644
--- a/umap/views.py
+++ b/umap/views.py
@@ -54,8 +54,9 @@ class Home(TemplateView, PaginatorMixin):
 
     def get_context_data(self, **kwargs):
         qs = Map.public
-        if 'spatialite' not in settings.DATABASES['default']['ENGINE']:
-            # Unsupported query type for sqlite.
+        if (settings.UMAP_EXCLUDE_DEFAULT_MAPS and
+            'spatialite' not in settings.DATABASES['default']['ENGINE']):
+                # Unsupported query type for sqlite.
             qs = qs.filter(center__distance_gt=(DEFAULT_CENTER, D(km=1)))
         demo_map = None
         if hasattr(settings, "UMAP_DEMO_PK"):
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ class Home(TemplateView, PaginatorMixin):
             else:
                 qs = qs.exclude(id=showcase_map.pk)
         maps = qs.order_by('-modified_at')[:50]
-        maps = self.paginate(maps)
+        maps = self.paginate(maps, settings.UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE)
 
         return {
             "maps": maps,
@@ -114,7 +115,10 @@ class UserMaps(DetailView, PaginatorMixin):
         manager = Map.objects if owner else Map.public
         maps = manager.filter(Q(owner=self.object) | Q(editors=self.object))
         maps = maps.distinct().order_by('-modified_at')[:50]
-        per_page = 10 if owner else self.per_page
+        if owner:
+            per_page = settings.UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE_OWNER
+        else:
+            per_page = settings.UMAP_MAPS_PER_PAGE
         maps = self.paginate(maps, per_page)
         kwargs.update({
             "maps": maps