1. Maps and Map Skills

2. Kinds of Maps General Reference Maps
Provide the reader general information about an area or place.
Thematic Maps
Provide more specific information about an area or place than general reference maps.

3. General reference

4. Thematic Map

5. Maps are important tools for geographers.
A globe is a better model of Earth than a map, but a globe has disadvantages that a map does not have

6. Reading Maps Map Parts Title Legend or Key Grid System Direction Scale
Map orientation – This has to do with direction

7. Compass
Title
Scale

8. Grid System

9. Large Scale and Small Scale Maps
A large-scale map shows a small area such as a neighborhood street in great detail.
A small-scale map shows a large area such as a country or a continent in lesser detail.
***Small Area = Large Scale***
***Large Area = Small Scale***

10. Small Area = Large Scale Large Area = Small Scale

11. Compass
Is used to orient a map toward north

12. Latitude and Longitude

13. Latitude
The set of lines crossing the Earth’s surface horizontally, Circling east and west.
Each line of latitude is always an equal distance from the next.
They are also known as parallels. All latitude lines are parallel to each other.

14. Longitude
A set of lines that run vertically along Earth’s surface from the North Pole to the South Pole

15. Global Grid
When lines of latitude and longitude cross a grid is formed. The grid is used to located certain places on earth

16. Each line has an Identifying number called degrees, or parts of a circle. (410 )
Degrees, can be further divided into minutes, or parts of a degree. There are 60 minutes, or parts of a degree. (10’)
Minutes can be divided into even smaller parts called seconds. There are 60 seconds in each minute. (10”)
41010’10”
410
Degrees
Minutes
10’
Seconds
10”

17. Direction
The other part needed to locate places on Earth is direction.
Cardinal directions are: north, south, east, and west.
Intermediate directions are: northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest. They are located midway between the cardinal directions.

18. Using Latitude & Longitude to Locate Places
Lines of latitude are numbered based on how far north or south they are from an imaginary line called the equator
This line circles the Earth exactly halfway between the NP and SP.
***The equator’s latitude degree is 00****. There are 90 degrees between it and each of the poles.
Area between the equator and NP is “north” latitude (220N)
Area between the equator and SP is “south” latitude (220S)

20. This line is called the Prime Meridian.
Lines of longitude are numbered based on how far east or west they are from another imaginary line.
This line is called the Prime Meridian.
Prime Meridian’s longitude degree is 00.
There are 1800 of longitude east of the PM and 1800 degrees west of it.
Area east of the PM is known as “east” longitude. (1200E)
Area west of the PM is known as “west” longitude. (1200W)

22. Prime Meridian & International Date Line
The prime meridian does not circle the globe as the equator does.
The PM runs from the NP to SP
At 1800 on the other side of the globe the meridian is called the international date line.

23. Hemispheres
The earth can be divided into halves. Each of these halves is called a hemisphere.

24. Hemispheres at the Equator
The ½ north of the equator is called the northern hemisphere
The ½ south of the equator is called the southern hemisphere

25. Hemispheres at Prime Meridian and International Date Line
Earth can also be divided into hemispheres at the circle formed by the prime meridian and International date line
The ½ east of the prime meridian is called the eastern hemisphere.
The ½ west of the prime meridian is called the western hemisphere.

27. Making Maps Gathering Information Problem of Distortion Map Properties
Map Projections
Cartographers (Mapmakers)

28. Gathering Information
Surveying
Aerial Photography (Air Planes)
Remote Sensing (Satellites)

29. Problem of Distortion
Features are stretched to put Earth’s information onto a map.

30. Map Properties No map can have all of the properties at once
Equal areas
Conformality
Consistent Scale
True-Compass Directions

31. Robinson Projection Equal areas – shown with high degree of accuracy
Conformal except near edges of map where distortion increases
Valuable for showing entire world.

32. Goode’s Interrupted High degree of accuracy in area and shape
Distorted direction and scale.
Valuable for showing Land masses.

33. Points to Remember
The projection one chooses to use depends on the information one wants.
All Maps are projections – they transfer Earth’s features from the globe to a flat surface (map).
When large areas of Earth are mapped, distortion is more serious.
When mapping small areas like cities, distortion is not usually evident.