1. Unit I - Maps

2. Cartography Cartography – science of map-making
What makes up parts of a map?
Scale, Projection and Symbol

3. Map Basics
Scale- the relationship between the length of an object on a map to its length on the landscape
Small Scale shows a large area – 1:250,000 (World Map)
Large Scale shows a small area in detail – 1:1000 (City Map)
Small Scale Large Scale World Map Continent Country Region State City Neighborhood

4. Symbols on a Map Represent cities, capitals, roads, etc…
Point symbols, show individual features or places

5. Maps Maps=flat, while Earth is 3-D 3D shapes can never truly be 2D
All maps show distortion
The level and area of distortion depends on the type of map used

6. Cylindrical Projection: DISTORTION!

7. Mercator Projection
Mercator Projection Map = Distortion as you get farther away from the equator!

8. Why use Mercator?
Used for navigation along equatorial regions (no distortion at the equator)
Many wall maps are still using this projection

10. Robinson Projection
Provides better balance of size and shape at higher latitudes
(does not maintain accurate area, shape, distance, or direction…but minimizes errors)

11. Conic
Great distortion away from central area

12. Planar Projection
Useful for less distortion at the POLES!

13. Map Categories
The most basic type of maps that serves a general purpose are called reference maps
Other types of thematic maps are: choropleth, isoline, proportional symbol, and dot

14. Choropleth
Puts data into a spatial format and is useful for determining demographic data (mortality rates)
Can be very misleading as the variables can be changed to manipulate the message shown

15. Isoline
An isoline map is a map with continuous lines joining points of the same  value
Usually used to show elevation and weather variables
Isolines close together show a rapid change in the variable

16. Proportional Symbol
The size of the symbol will vary from place to place according in proportion to the quantities the symbol represents

17. Dot Maps-A dot map uses a dot to represent the number of a variable found within an area Dot maps: use points to show the precise locations of specific observations or occurrences (crime, births or disease).

18. Gross Domestic Product
cartograms – chart and assign data by size. Examples: populations, mortality rates, GDP
Gross Domestic Product

19. Child Mortaility Cartogram

20. A Little More Stuff
Remote Sensing- Acquisition of data about the earth’s surface using satellites and other long range methods
Global Information System (GIS)-Computer system that stores, organizes, and displays geographic data
Global Positioning System (GPS)- Using a series of satellites to determine location on the earths surface

21. Mental Maps
An individual’s internal, geographic understanding of a place.
Formed when people perceive information about their surroundings and then process that information into a mental image that reflects both the physical environment and that individual’s social, cultural, and psychological framework.
May include hazards – items/places a person avoids during their daily routine.

22. Location/Distance Geographers use these to establish location and distance:
Coordinate system
Absolute location
Longitude and latitude
Meridians – Prime Meridian
International Date Line
Parallels
Site
Situation – Relative location
Absolute distance
Relative distance
Connectivity
Time-Space Convergence