Unit Focus

What is a map? Different types of maps Uses of maps Lines of latitude and longitude

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

What is a map?
A map is a graphic representation, on a flat surface,of what a part of the Earths surface looks like from above.

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A political map

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A geological map
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A rainfall map

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A population distribution map

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A flow map

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Different types of maps

A relief map
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

The Value of Maps

People have been using maps for a very long time Maps are even more widely used today There are several reasons why this is so: Valuable sources of information Maps tell us where we are, how far it is between two places, what direction to take to go to a place, what the different ways to go to a place are and what we will find there Tourists use maps to find their way to tourist information centres, places of interest and historic landmarks
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Useful ways of storing and displaying information about the Earths surface

Maps are light and portable Different types of information can be put on different maps A weather map shows the weather patterns for an area A geological map shows the types of rocks in an area Maps can be used to present information of large area and even the world

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Useful ways of storing and displaying information about the Earths surface
Street and topographic maps show detailed information on smaller areas

Important bases for planning and decision-making

During a war, the military uses maps to plan which areas to attack and the most effective routes to take Urban planners use maps to decide where to build the different features of the human landscape

Good records of landscape changes

Maps show the features of the Earths surface at a certain point in time When new maps of the same area are drawn every few years, the series of maps will give us a record of the changes that have taken place
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Basic elements of maps

Title:
States what the map shows Appears at the top of the map On topographic maps, the title is usually the name of the largest settlement in the region Grid Lines

A series of vertical and horizontal numbered lines drawn on a map Used to locate features
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Directional Indicator
Shows where north, south, east and west lie on the map

Symbols

Used to represent the different physical and man-made features found on the surface of the Earth It is possible to fit a lot of information into a small space using symbols
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Legend

Explains what each symbol on the map means Lists all symbols used and explains the meaning of each of them Also called the key Names of Features
Certain features such as settlements, roads and rivers are often named on maps

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Scale
Shows the size of the map compared to the actual size of the area that the map represents Helps us to calculate the size of a feature on the Earths surface Types of Symbols Can be of different shapes and sizes The size or thickness of a symbol shows the importance of a feature Certain colours are used to represent certain features
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Types of Symbols Line or linear symbols Represent line features like roads, railway tracks, rivers and power lines

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Types of Symbols Point symbols : Represent point-like features like schools, churches, mosques and temples

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Types of Symbols Area symbols Represent features that occupy an area such as lakes and forests Some of these symbols look like the features they represent

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Types of Symbols

Abbreviations May appear beside other symbols to explain what they are or on their own

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Types of Symbols Height symbols Height of places is shown on maps by contours Contours are imaginary lines joining places of the same height above or below sea level

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Height symbols To show the exact height of a physical feature, a trigonometrical station is used This is a circular disc placed in the ground to show the specific height of the place On maps, a trigonometrical station is shown by a triangle symbol with the height above sea level written beside it
Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Lines of latitude
Lines that are drawn around the globe parallel to the Equator.

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Lines of longitude
Lines that are drawn around the globe through the poles.

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Lines of latitude & longitude

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3

Summary

Interactive Geography One - Unit 3