Cadastral Maps

Cadastre is a technical term for a st of records showing the extent, value and ownership (or other
basis for use or occupancy) of land. Strictly speaking, a cadastre is a record of areas and values
of land and of landholders that originally was compiled for purposes of taxation. In many
countries there is, however, no longer any land tax and in practice the cadastre serves two other
equally important purposes. It provides a ready means of precise description and identification of
particular pieces of land and it acts as a continuous record of rights in land.

A modern cadastre normally consists of a series of large-scale maps or plans, and corresponding
registers. Both the plans and the registers may be stored in computers, as discussed in the chapter
“computerization of maps and registers”. The present chapter deals with the essential features of
cadastral maps with particular reference to the form they take when drawn on paper or displayed
on a computer screen. While the survey of an individual parcel of land has in some countries
resulted in a “cadastral map” for that plot of land and may have been unconnected to any
adjoining land parcels, the true cadastral map covers all parcels within an area rather than
isolated plots. It can act as an index for other land parcel surveys that show more detailed
information or can be of sufficiently large scale for the dimensions of each plot to be obtainable
from the map. In this chapter, and throughout this monograph, the term ‘cadastral map’ will be
associated with any parcel of land whether defined by ownership, value or use provided that the
parcel has an independent identity and is relevant to the management of land as a resource. A
cadastral map will show the boundaries of such parcels but may in addition incorporate details of
the resources associated with them, including the physical structures on or beneath them, their
geology, soils, and vegetation and the manner in which the land is used.

The scale of cadastral maps is of great importance. Since the object of the map is to provide a
precise description and identification of the land, the scale must be large enough for every
separate plot of land which may be the subject of separate possession (conveniently called a
“survey plot” or “land parcel”) to appear as a recognizable unit on the map. When map data are
stored in a computer, they may be drawn at almost any scale and this can give an impression of
greater accuracy than the quality of the survey data may warrant.

Since the map and the corresponding registers form complementary parts of the same system of
description and identification, there must be some system of cross-referencing between what is
shown on the map and what is recorded in the registers. This usually means that either names or
numbers must be given to each separate land parcel. These references are known as property
identifiers (PID) or unique parcel reference numbers (UPRN). Various reference systems have
been developed including:

The name of the grantor or grantee

A sequential title number

The volume and folio numbers on which the plot is registered

The name of a farm or locality with an individual plot number

The registration block and individual plot numbers

A post office address

A street index reference and parcel number

A grid coordinate or “geocode”

A third important requirement of cadastral maps is that they should show a sufficient number of
points which can be accurately identified on the ground to enable any other point on the ground
to be identified on the map (or vice versa) by eye or by simple and short measurements.
Professionally this requirement is satisfied by marks recording the original triangulation stations,
or the stations on supplementary theodolite traverses, but this is usually inadequate or
inconvenient for practical purposes. In areas where there are permanent fences or fields
surrounded by embankments, the fences and banks may provide an adequate means of detailed
identification, but in unfenced open fields without any embankments, some means of indicating
the land parcel boundaries on the ground will be necessary.
A good mark must be durable in itself and not easy to remove either accidentally or wilfully. In
many countries it is also desirable that the material of which it is made should not be of a kind
that encourages theft. Since the marks must be easily recognizable they must be fairly
conspicuous on the surface but for important points, such as those used as control for surveys,
there are advantages in supplementing surface marks with marks that are set in concrete and
buried beneath them.

One principal method of identification used in cadastral maps is the “grid”. In some countries,
such as much of the public lands in the United States, a grid has been laid out on the ground
creating a “rectangular system”. All parcels of land are formed by straight lines, often running
north to south and east to west. The problem with such a system is that it is unsympathetic to the
natural topography but its advantage is its simplicity and the relative clarity of the boundaries on
the ground. More commonly however a grid is used as a referencing system so that the
coordinates of all boundary turning points can be measured, calculated and recorded. The data
can then be stored in a computer and used either to draw the cadastral maps or else for helping a
surveyor to re- establish lost boundary marks.

The land parcel reference number can be used to identify the plot. It can be cross-referenced both
to the files that contain more detailed survey information about the parcel such as its dimensions,
and to the data on ownership, value and use. In many countries the records of survey are held in
one government department (the Survey Department) while text data and details of title are held
in another. The latter may, for example, be the Lands Department, the Ministry of Justice or even
the Government Treasury. It is important that wherever records of land parcels are maintained,
every authority adopts the same standard land parcel referencing system.

It is also essential that changes in land parcel boundaries be recorded as soon as they are agreed.
All interested parties must be notified immediately of any changes that have taken place
affecting land parcels, for example where there has been formal subdivision. A cadastral map
must be up to date at all times.

Map Elements. Most maps contain the same common elements: main body, legend, title, scale
and orientation indicators, inset map, and source notes. Not all are necessary or appropriate for
every map, but all appear frequently enough that they're worth covering.

These essential features of a map are found on almost every map around us. They are- title,
direction, legend(symbols), north areas, distance(scale), labels, grids and index, citation – which
make it easier for people like us to understand the basic components of maps

(Basic Parts of Any Map

Map Title or Heading. The title, also called the heading, of a map is typically found at the top of
the map. ...

Map Key or Legend. All the map symbols are defined in the map key, or map legend. ...

Scale Indicator. ...

Grid. ...

Compass Rose or North Arrow.). The basic essential elements of a map are title, direction, scale
and legend (or) key of symbol