Maps
A map is a representation of the Earth, or part of it. Humans have always needed to
find their way from place to place and their most common way of doing this and
providing information about their surroundings has been through pictures or models.
Maps in all their diversity can therefore be described as a form of picture
communication. THE ART OR TECHNIQUE OF MAKING MAPS IS CALLED
CARTOGRAPHY. PEOPLE WHO MAKE MAPS ARE CALLED CARTOGRAPHERS.
Today it is almost impossible to go through a single day without coming into contact
with, or using in some way, the various types of maps that today’s society has grown to
depend upon. Map use has undergone a revolution since the times when stone tablets
and pictorial representations of trade routes were both rare and unexplored as a means
of information communication. Among these early maps the first edition of Claudius
Ptolemy's Geographia was printed in 1482 using woodblock maps. He measured
Latitude from the equator just as it is today and put meridian of 0 longitude at the most
western land he knew, the Canary Islands. Included in the text were instructions
devised by Ptolemy on how to create maps both of the whole world and the Roman
provinces.
First Printed Map in Europe, 1472
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15th century depiction of the Ptolemy world map, reconstituted from Ptolemy's Geographia (circa 150)
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Difference Between a Globe and a Map
A globe is a spherical model of our earth. It is useful in understanding the basic shape
of the earth. A map is flat. It can be used for detailed study of small areas. You use a
map for getting directions while driving - not a globe. Globes have a very important
role in helping us understand the shape of our home planet. Because globes are the
same shape as the Earth, it is possible to create very accurate globes. We do not have to
worry about the distortion that occurs when round continents are flattened out so that
they fit on flat maps.
Despite their usefulness, globes have many disadvantages as well. The biggest of these
disadvantages is due to the fact that globes represent the entire Earth. Because of this,
they will always be small-scale representations of the Earth. This means that it is
difficult to show very much detail on a globe. Only the largest objects can be depicted,
such as the largest lakes and rivers. Smaller lakes, streams, and hills simply cannot be
shown. Another disadvantage of a globe is that their awkward size and shape makes
them difficult to carry around. Imagine trying to fit a globe in your back pocket!
Globes are an important tool that geographers use, however, flat maps are much more
practical for use in everyday situations.
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Various Types of Maps
There are many different types of maps. For example, if you want to find out which country is
the 'richest' in the Caribbean region or Europe, you will not find your answer on a survey map.
You will need a thematic map containing information about, for instance, the Gross Domestic
Product per capita. A thematic map contains information on a certain theme, or subject.
Climate maps give general information about the climate and precipitation (rain and snow) of a
region. Cartographers, or mapmakers, use colors to show different climate or precipitation
zones.
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Economic or resource maps feature the type of natural resources or economic activity that
dominates an area. Cartographers use symbols to show the locations of natural resources or
economic activities. For example, oranges on a map of Florida tell you that oranges are grown
there.
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Physical maps illustrate the physical features of an area, such as the mountains, rivers and
lakes. The water is usually shown in blue. Colours are used to show relief—differences in land
elevations. Green is typically used at lower elevations, and orange or brown indicate higher
elevations.
Political maps do not show physical features. Instead, they indicate state and national
boundaries and capital and major cities. A capital city is usually marked with a star within a
circle.
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Road maps show major—some minor highways—and roads, airports, railroad tracks, cities and
other points of interest in an area. People use road maps to plan trips and for driving directions.
Topographic maps include contour lines to show the shape and elevation of an area. Lines that
are close together indicate steep terrain, and lines that are far apart indicate flat terrain.
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Map Reading Basics
Maps are the basic tools of geography. They enable us to depict what a place looks like
on paper. There are conventions used in cartography which allow a map to be read
efficiently and quickly. There are some basic elements that are usually found on maps.
These include the title, legend or key, distance or scale, border and colour. Let us talk
a little about these elements. A map's title provides important clues about the
cartographer's intentions and goals. You can hope to expect entirely different
information on a map titled "Unemployment in Jamaica" versus "Topography of
Jamaica " A good map will have a legend or key which will show the user what
different symbols mean. A map would be useless to you if you wouldn't know the
meaning of the various colours and symbols that the mapmaker chose to use. Maps can
be drawn to represent a variety of information. This information might include things
such as roads, tourist attractions, and campgrounds, or they might represent the latest
weather patterns. The objects on a map are represented using symbols. A symbol is a
picture on the map that represents something in the real world. Understanding these
symbols requires the use of a key. Maps use a key, or legend to explain the meaning of
each of the symbols used in the map. These keys usually show a small picture of each of
the symbols used on the map, along with a written description of the meaning of each
of
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these
symbols.
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The Role of Colors on Maps
Cartographers use colour on a map to represent certain features. Colour use is often consistent
across different types of maps by different cartographers or publishers. Map colours are (or
should be, for a professional looking map) always consistent on a single map. Many colours
used on maps have a relationship to the object or feature on the ground. For example, blue is
almost always the colour chosen for fresh water or ocean (bust blue may not just represent
water).
Political maps, which show more human created features (especially boundaries),
usually use more map colors than physical maps, which represent the landscape often
without regard for human modification. Political maps will often use four or more
colours to represent different countries or internal divisions of countries (such as states).
Political maps will also use such colors as blue for water and black and/or red for cities,
roads, and railways
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Physical maps commonly use color most dramatically to show changes in elevation. A
palette of greens is often used to display common elevations. Dark green usually
represents low-lying land with lighter shades of green used for higher elevations. In the
higher elevations, physical maps will often use a palette of light brown to dark brown to
show higher elevations. Such maps will commonly use reds or white or purples to
represent the highest elevations on the map. On physical maps, blues are used for
water, with darker blues used for the deepest water and lighter blues used for more
shallow water. For elevations below sea level, a green-grey or red or blue-grey or some
other color is used. Road maps and other general use maps are often a jumble of color.
They use map colors in a variety of ways...
Blue - lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, reservoirs, highways, local borders.
Red - major highways, roads, urban areas, airports, special interest sites, military sites, place
names, buildings, borders.
Yellow - built-up or urban areas.
Green - parks, golf courses, reservations, forest, orchards, highways.
Brown - deserts, historical sites, national parks, military reservations or bases, contour
(elevation) lines.
Black - roads, railroads, highways, bridges, place names, buildings, borders.
Purple - highways, (also used on U.S.G.S. topographic maps to represent features added to the
map since the original survey).
As you can see, different maps can use colours in a variety of ways. It is important to always
look at the map key or map legend for the map you are using to become familiar with the
colour scheme.
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