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Geography

Maps are essential tools for locating places, providing directions, and understanding geographical and human impacts on the environment. A map is a scaled visual representation of the earth's surface, which includes elements like title, legend, scale, and compass rose. Different types of scales help convey real-world distances, and the process of mapping has evolved significantly over time.

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Nayani Nanayakkara
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10 views5 pages

Geography

Maps are essential tools for locating places, providing directions, and understanding geographical and human impacts on the environment. A map is a scaled visual representation of the earth's surface, which includes elements like title, legend, scale, and compass rose. Different types of scales help convey real-world distances, and the process of mapping has evolved significantly over time.

Uploaded by

Nayani Nanayakkara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Why Are Maps Important?

Maps are important because they help us:

1. Find Places: They show where things are, like countries, cities,
mountains, and rivers.
2. Give Directions: Maps help us know how to get from one place to
another.
3. Learn About the World: They show information like weather,
population, and resources.
4. Understand Nature: Maps show landforms, climates, and
ecosystems.
5. See Human Impact: They help us understand how people use and
change the land.

What is a map?

1. Map is a drawing of a place as from above.


2. Map making process is called Cartography.
3. Mapping changes over time.
4. Over the centuries, we humans have learned more and more about
places, thanks to explorers, and traders, and travellers of all kinds -
and now thanks to satellites. Instruments for measuring have also got
better and better.
5. So maps have changed a lot.

A good map is a visual representation of the earth's surface, drawn


to scale and made for a specific purpose.

All good maps have/elements.

1. Title
2. Legend (Key)
3. Scale
4. Compass Rose (Orientation)(shown by a north line)
5. Grid System
6. Labels
7. Borders and Boundaries

Map Scale

Map scale shows how much smaller the map is compared to the real
world. It helps you understand the actual size of things on the map.

For example:
1:100,000 means 1 unit on the map equals 100,000 units in real life.

1 inch = 1 mile means each inch on the map equals 1 mile in real life.

Larger scale maps show more detail, while smaller scale maps show
bigger areas but less detail.

Types of scale

1. Stated Scale (Verbal Scale):


Describes the scale using words, like "1 inch equals 1 mile."
2. Linear Scale (Graphic Scale):
A visual bar or line that represents distance on the map, showing real-
world distances (e.g., a bar that shows 1 inch equals 1 mile).
3. Ratio (Fractional Scale):
A numerical ratio, like 1:50,000, where 1 unit on the map equals 50,000
units in real life.

Maps and Mapping


1. Using a scale of 1 cm to 20 cm, draw a line to represent:
a. 40cm
b. b. 80cm
c. c. 2 metres
(Write the scale beside the line. )
2. A kilometre is 1000 metres. Draw a line to represent 1 kilometre using
each of these scales:
a.1 cm to 1km
b. 1 cm to 200m
c. 1cm to 100m
hh

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