Types of maps

Types of maps How to read a map Maps are pictures of the Earth's surface Reference maps just show natural features like rivers, cities, political subdivisions and highways. Thematic maps use these items only as reference points to enhance one's understanding of the map's theme and purpose. Thematic maps did not develop as a map type until the mid-17th Century.  Today with the increased use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) thematic maps are growing in importance.

Thematic maps Thematic maps show different but very specific topics such as the average rainfall distribution for an area or the distribution of a certain disease throughout a county. Fig represents wheat harvested in Kansas, 1993; Source: www.evl.uic.edu

Thematic maps Choropleth map: a map that uses differences in shading, coloring, or the placing of symbols within predefined areas to indicate the average values of a property or quantity in those areas. Isopleth map: An isopleth map generalizes and simplifies data with a continuous distribution. It shows the data as a third dimension on a map, thus isopleth maps are more common for mapping surface elevations, amounts of precipitation, atmospheric pressure, and numerous other measurements that can be viewed statistically as a third dimension.

Raised relief map

Topo explanation video Topographic map Topo explanation video

Political map A political map does not show any topographic features. It instead focuses solely on the state and national boundaries of a place. They also include the locations of cities - both large and small, depending on the detail of the map.

Contour-line map (topographic) Contour lines, or lines which connect points of equal elevation, are drawn on a topographical map in order to quantify the elevation at any point on the map. Where contour lines are spaced closely together (A) it means that the topography is very steep.  Where the lines are spaced farther apart (B) it means that the terrain is more gently sloping.

Natural resource map

Military map

Bird's-eye view map

Artifact map

Satellite photograph/mosaic

Pictograph map Pictograph- a pictorial representation of statistics on a chart, graph, or computer screen; the second map is also political and represents 2009 Afghanistan elections.

Weather map