Map Skills

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Map Skills
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What is a map?

• A map is a representation, usually on a flat
  surface, of the features of an area of the earth
  or a portion of the heavens, showing them in
  their respective forms, sizes, and relationships
  according to some convention of representation.

Now what does that mean?
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• A map is a representation,
• A map is a drawing or model
• usually on a flat surface,
• of a round Earth on a flat surface,
• of the features of an area of the earth
• that shows the landforms (mountains, rivers,
  etc.)
• or a portion of the heavens,
• or part of the sky in a particular region,
• showing them in their respective forms, sizes,
  and relationships
• drawn to scale
• according to some convention of representation.
• using an accepted form of drawing or model.

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Map Components

• Title
• Grid
• Compass
• Key or Legend
• Scale

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Types of Maps

• There are three basic types of maps
• PHYSICAL
• POLITICAL
• and
• THEMATIC.

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Physical Maps

• Physical maps show the natural features of the
  Earth.
• Physical maps do not contain man made features.
• For example, a physical map would be a map of
  what you would see if you were looking down on
  Earth from space.

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When you look at this map, what do you see?
Notice you do not see country borders or city
markings. These divisions are created by people.
For example, there is no actual line dividing
Texas from its bordering states. Although some
astronauts (with the use of binoculars believe it
or not) are able to see roads, large ocean
tankers, and even the Great Pyramids from space,
at very high altitudes, none of these are visible
and all you are left with are natural land
formations.
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Political Maps
Unlike physical maps, political maps show how
humans have impacted the landscape. For example,
city names, roads, country borders, etc. are all
part of political maps. Political maps change
frequently (physical maps change very, very
slowly through geologic processes) and must be
redrawn often. A political map of the world that
is 50 years old is no longer accurate. Wars
and ethnic conflict are two major causes
political maps change.
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Political Maps
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Thematic Maps

• Thematic maps can represent a variety of
  information including things like climate,
  precipitation, vegetation, elevation, population,
  life expectancy, etc.
• Thematic maps are generally used when you are
  looking at a single piece of information.

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Cultural Maps

• In geography, a physical feature is something
  which has been made by nature. Physical features
  are commonly divided according to which of the
  four 'spheres' they are found in. Features such
  as air pressure (weight of the air) and
  temperature are part of the atmosphere (air
  surrounding the Earth). Oceans and rivers are
  part of the hydrosphere (all water in and around
  the Earth). Landforms including mountains and
  valleys are considered part of the lithosphere
  (solid levels of the Earth's outer layers), while
  vegetation and wild animals are found in the
  biosphere (living organisms and their
  environment).
• It is important to remember that a feature can
  only be classified as being physical if it is not
  created by humans. This means that features such
  as agricultural crops and man-made dams, are
  considered to be cultural features.
• Cultural features are those which have been made
  by humans. The most obvious examples are
  settlements (towns and cities), transportation
  systems (road, rail, sea and air) and industry
  (mining and agriculture etc). Since cultural
  features have often been constructed by humans
  using resources from the physical environment, it
  is not always easy to distinguish between the
  two. A park, for example, is classified as a
  cultural feature. Despite often comprising
  natural vegetation and wild animals, a park is
  constructed (or set aside) by humans for the
  purpose of recreation.
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