MAPS AND MAP
SKILLS
KINDS OF MAPS
General Reference Maps
Providethe reader general
information about an area or place.
Thematic Maps
Provide more specific information
about an area or place than general
reference maps.
READING MAPS
Map Parts
Title
Legend
Grid System
Direction
Scale
Map orientation – This
has to do with direction
Maps are important
tools for geographers.
A globe is a better model
of Earth than a map,
but a globe has
disadvantages that a
map does not have
Maps from : CSU Phil-LiDAR 1 Project
GRID SYSTEMS
Grid lines on maps define the coordinate system, and are numbered
to provide a unique reference to features. Grid systems vary, but the
most common is a square grid with grid lines intersecting each other at
right angles and numbered sequentially from the origin at the bottom
left of the map.
GLOBAL GRID
When lines of latitude and longitude cross a
grid is formed. The grid is used to located
certain places on earth
LARGE SCALE AND SMALL SCALE MAPS
A large-scale map shows a small area such as a
neighborhood street in great detail.
A small-scale map shows a large area such as a
country or a continent in comparatively lesser
detail.
Small Area = Large Scale
Large Area = Small Scale
Large-scale
Small-scale
COMPASS
Is used to orient a map toward north
DIRECTION
The other part needed to locate places on Earth is
direction.
Cardinal directions are: north, south,
east, and west.
Intermediate directions are: northeast,
southeast, northwest, and southwest.
They are located midway between the
cardinal directions.
Latitude and Longitude
Latitude
The set of lines crossing the Earth’s surface horizontally,
Circling east and west.
Each line of latitude is always an equal distance from the
next.
They are also known as parallels. All latitude lines are
parallel to each other.
Longitude
A set of lines that run vertically along Earth’s surface
from the North Pole to the South Pole
USING LATITUDE & LONGITUDE TO
LOCATE PLACES
Lines of latitude are numbered based on how far north
or south they are from an imaginary line called the
equator
This line circles the Earth exactly halfway between the
NP and SP.
0
The equator’s latitude degree is 0 . There are 90
degrees between it and each of the poles. 0
Area between the equator and NP is “north” latitude (220 N)
Area between the equator and SP is “south” latitude (22 S)
Lines of longitude are numbered based on how far east
or west they are from another imaginary line.
This line is called the Prime Meridian.
0
Prime Meridian’s longitude degree is 0 .
0 0
There are 180 of longitude east of the PM and 180
degrees west of it. 0
Area east of the PM is known as “east” longitude. (120 E)
0
Area west of the PM is known as “west” longitude. (120 W)
PRIME MERIDIAN & INTERNATIONAL DATE
LINE
The prime meridian does not circle the globe as the
equator does.
The PM runs from the NP to SP
0
At 180 on the other side of the globe the meridian is
called the international date line.
HEMISPHERES
The earth can be divided into halves. Each of
these halves is called a hemisphere.
HEMISPHERES AT THE EQUATOR
The ½ north of the
equator is called the
northern hemisphere
The ½ south of the
equator is called the
southern hemisphere
MAKING MAPS
Gathering Information
Problem of Distortion
Map Properties
Map Projections
Cartographers (Mapmakers)
GATHERING INFORMATION
Surveying
Aerial
Photography (Air Planes)
Remote Sensing (Satellites)
PROBLEM OF DISTORTION
Featuresare stretched to
put Earth’s information onto
a map.
MAP PROPERTIES
No map can have all of the properties at once
Equal areas
Conformality
Consistent Scale
True-Compass Directions
Equal areas
Places shown have the same proportions as they do on
Earth.
Example: Greenland 1/8 land area of S. America
Conformality
Having correct shapes.
Shows true shapes.
Can show larger areas as closely as
possible to their true shapes
Consistent Scale
Uses the same scale for all parts of the map.
Shows the true distances between places on Earth
In most Cases maps showing large areas cannot be
consistent-scale maps.
•True-Compass Direction
Parallels and meridians appear
as straight lines.
By following these lines you
will be following the cardinal
directions of N,S,E,&W.
Straight line between two
points on map determines exact
directions and set course.
(Navigators use these maps)
POINTS TO REMEMBER
The projection one chooses to use depends on the
information one wants.
All Maps are projections – they transfer Earth’s
features from the globe to a flat surface (map).
When large areas of Earth are mapped, distortion
is more serious.
When mapping small areas like cities, distortion is
not usually evident.
