Definition of map

In Geography a map is a visual representation of the Earth’s surface or a part of it, drawn on a flat surface.
Map may be defined as the representation of the Earth's pattern as a whole or a part of it, with conventional signs ,
drawn to a scale and projection so that each and every point on it corresponds to the actual terrestrial or celestial
positions.

Types of Maps

Political Maps

A political map does not show topographic features like mountains. It focuses solely on the state and national
boundaries of a place. These maps also include the locations of cities large and small, depending on the detail of the
maps. A typical example of a political map would be one showing the 50 U.S. states and their borders along with the
United States' international borders.

Physical Maps

A physical map documents the landscape features of a place. These types of maps generally show mountains, rivers,
and lakes. Bodies of water are commonly shown in blue. Mountains and elevation changes are sometimes shown with
different colors and shades to show elevation. On physical maps, greens usually indicate lower elevations while
browns usually indicate higher elevations.

Topographic Maps

A topographic map is similar to a physical map in that it shows different physical landscape features. Unlike physical
maps, though, this type of map uses contour lines instead of colors to show changes in the landscape. Contour lines on
topographic maps are normally spaced at regular intervals to show elevation changes (e.g. each line represents a 100-
foot elevation change). When lines are close together, it means the terrain is steep.

Climate Maps

A climate map shows information about the climate of an area. These maps can show things like the specific climatic
zones of an area based on the temperature, the amount of snow an area receives, or the average number of cloudy
days. These maps normally use colors to show different climatic areas.

Economic or Resource Maps

An economic or resource map shows the specific types of economic activity or natural resources present in an area
through the use of different symbols or colors depending on what is being depicted.

Road Maps

A road map is one of the most widely used map types. These maps show major and minor highways and roads
(depending on the degree of detail), as well as airports, cities, and points of interest such as parks, campgrounds, and
monuments. Major highways on a roadmap are generally shown with thick, red lines, while minor roads are lighter in
color and drawn with narrower lines.

Thematic Maps

A thematic map focuses on a particular theme or special topic. These maps differ from the six aforementioned general
reference maps because they do not just show features like rivers, cities, political subdivisions, elevation, and
highways. If these items appear on a thematic map, they are background information used as reference points to
enhance the map's theme.

Essential elements of a Map

Different elements of a map play an important role in describing map details. Numbered here are descriptions of
cartographic elements commonly found on map layouts. 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.

1. Title: The title of a map is one of its vital features. It is the keyword that grabs the reader’s attention. A short ‘title’
might be apt if readers are familiar with the theme being presented. The need for a suitable title, whether small or
long, depends on the reader but the title should provide an answer to their “What? Where? When?”

2. Direction: Direction is shown on a map by using a compass rose. The compass rose shows the directions of the map
so that map readers can relate those directions to the real world. Sometimes a compass rose will just show North. If
you know which way North is, you can figure out East, West, and South.

3. Legend: The principal reference to the map symbols; subordinated to the title and direction. However, this is still a
key element for map reading; describing all unknown or unique map symbols used.

The legend serves as the decoder for the symbology in the data frame. Therefore, it is also commonly known as the
key. Descriptions detailing any color schemata, symbology or categorization is explained here. Without the legend, the
color scheme on the map would make no sense to the viewer. The legend tells the viewer that the lighter the color,
the longer the last recorded date has been.

4. North Arrows: North arrows indicate the orientation of the map and maintain a connection to the data frame.
When that data frame is rotated, the north arrow element rotates with it. North arrow properties include its style,
size, color, and angle. The size of the north arrow is in points. Decimal fractions can be entered here.

One can control the alignment of the north arrow by selecting one of the following options:

Data Frame Rotation—North arrow angle uses the rotation of the data frame.

True North—North arrow angle uses geodetic north or the direction to the north pole. The true north calculation is
based on the coordinate system using the center point of the data frame.

5. Distance (Scale): Distance or scale must always be indicated or implied unless the audience is so familiar with the
map area or distance of such little relative importance that it can be assumed by the audience. Distance and scale can
be indicated in a variety of ways on a map in verbal, numeric, or graphic form. With computers, maps are often
drafted at different scales than they are printed. In using verbal or numeric scales, the cartographer must be certain
that the map is printed at precisely the scale indicated. If a graphic scale is inserted in a digital map, it will always
maintain its relative size with respect to the digital map no matter how it is printed.

6. Labels: Labels are the words that identify a location. They show places (streets, rivers, and establishments) with
specific names and can also be used to represent something if there is only one of it, instead of making up a symbol to
just represent one thing.
7. Grid and Index: Not all maps use a grid and index, but it really helps in finding locations. A grid and index are
common in an atlas and on roadmaps. A grid represents a series of horizontal and vertical lines running across the map
whereas index helps the map reader find a particular location by following the numbers and letters in the grid.

The index is mainly in alphabetical order that makes it easy to look up to the name of the place. There are coordinates
(A2, B3, etc.) next to the location on the map.

8. Citation: The citation portion of a map constitutes the metadata (description) of the map. This is the area where
explanatory data about the data sources and currency, projection information and any caveats are placed. Citations
help the viewer determine the use of the map for their own purpose.

SCALE

Scale indicates the proportion which a distance between two points on a map bears to the distance between the
corresponding points on the actual ground. In other words, scale is the ratio between the map distance and ground
distance of two locations. If for example an actual distance of 5 miles is represented on the map by a distance of 1inch,
the scale is 1:5 miles.

According to our needs we can have small scale and large scales. the scale we choose primarily depends on (1) size of
area to be mapped, (2) amount of details to be shown and (3) size of the paper.

Small scales: shows miles to inches as for instance the cycling and motoring maps which are generally either one mile
to the inch or two miles to the inch. Atlas maps are drawn on still smaller scales.

Large scales: are scales of inches to the mile. Navigators chart and property survey plans, for example, are drawn on
large scales of say 6" to 1mile, or 25" to 1 mile or even larger.

Methods of representation:

3 three ways in which scale is depicted on the map.

1 statement: As 3 inches to the mile or 1:3 or 1/3

2 Representative fractions: portion of scale by a fraction in which the numerator is one and the denominator is also in
the same unit of length.

Example:

If RF is stated to be 1/100000 or 1:100000 this means that 1 unit on the map represents 100000 units on the same
units on the ground.

Thus RF= Map Distance/ Ground Distance.

3 Graphic scale: straight line is drawn through scale into a number of equal parts & is marked to show what these
divisions represent on the actual ground.
 UNIT CONVERSION TABLE

Metric Scale English Scale

1 Kilometer 1000,0000 Millimeter 1 Mile 8 Furlong
1 hectometer 100,000 Millimeter 1 Mile 1760 Yards
1 Decameter 10000 Millimeter 1 Mile 5280 feet
1 meter 100 cm 1 mile 63360 inches
1 Kilometer 10 Hectometer 12 inches 1 foot
1 Kilometer 100,000 cm 1 yard 3 feet
3 feet 36 inches
7920 inches 660 feet