Types of Maps & Map projections, Social Studies

Purpose of Maps What is a map? What maps have you used? A map is a graphic representation of a portion of the earth's surface drawn to scale, as seen from above. What maps have you used?

Types of Maps Physical map Relief map Political map Map that shows how the land looks. Relief map Map that shows the height of land above sea level. Political map Map that shows how humans have divided the surface of the Earth. Special Purpose map Map that gives one particular kind of information.

Physical Map Shows how the land looks Give some examples of things a physical map might show. Mountains Rivers Plains Lakes Other physical features of the land.

Physical Map

Relief Map Map that shows the height of land above sea level.

Political Map Map that shows how humans have divided the surface of the Earth. Divided into countries, states, etc… Displays some physical features since those are often used as boundaries.

Political Map

Special Purpose Map A map that gives one particular kind of information. Rainfall maps, population density maps, Zip Code map, interstate/highway map, etc…

Light Density Map of Earth

Population Density Map

More About Maps… Maps are usually a combination of physical, political, and special purpose. Example: A map may show the products produced in each state within the United States along with major rivers. What types of maps are represented in the examples below?

Carbon Emission Map What map type of map would this be?

Map Projections A map projection is a way to show the rounded Earth on a flat piece of paper. Maps show four things Direction Distance Shape Size Globes can show all four accurately but maps cannot. To get one thing accurate, we must give up another.

Map Projections Map projection Conic projection Gall-Peters projection A way of showing the earth on a piece of paper. Conic projection Map projection used for showing small areas midway between the equator and the poles. Gall-Peters projection Map projection that shows the sizes of the landmasses correctly. Mercator projection Map projection that shows true directions and land shapes but exaggerates size of landmasses.

Mercator Projection Shows how the Earth would look if a piece of paper were wrapped to form a tube around the globe. The distances are not true. The sizes of the landmasses near the North and South poles are greatly exaggerated.

Mercator Projection Compare the sizes of South America and Greenland on a Mercator map. South America is actually nine times larger than Greenland.

Gall-Peters Projection Map projection that shows the sizes of the landmasses correctly. However, shapes and distances are not accurate.

Gall-Peters Projection

Conic Projections Map projection used for showing small areas midway between the equator and the poles. Size, distance, and direction are fairly accurate. It comes from the idea of placing a cone over part of a globe.

Conic Projections

Robinson Projection Most widely used and shows only minor distortions in true size, distance, and shape of landmasses

More About Map Projections There are a number of other kinds of projections which show the sizes and shapes of landmasses fairly accurately. Remember that no map can show direction, distance, shape, and size at the same time as accurately as a globe. Every kind of map has a special use, but none is perfect. Be careful about making judgments about the world based on maps since shape, size, or distance may be inaccurate.