A map is something we probably all hold in our hands, scratch our heads, or mark with thumbtacks to show where we’ve been and where we’d like to go next.
Maps are used to visualize the world in general, to find our way to places we’ve never been before, and to help us navigate even when we can’t see. If you are interested, we invite you to continue reading the article and learn everything about What is a map – Definition, Meaning and Concept.
What is a map?
It may seem silly to ask what a map is, but it is important to understand the what and why of maps. A simple definition is that a map is a representation of a place. This has two important implications that are sometimes neglected:
A map is not an objective representation of reality. It reflects the cartographer’s choices, biases, and agendas. When you view or make a map, think critically about it. What does the map show, what does it omit, and why? How was the data collected and manipulated to produce the final result?
Those are just a couple of things that affect how readers ultimately interpret a map. Maps can be strictly geographically accurate or drawn based on perceptions; No matter what type of map it is, much more can be learned than the location of each and every one.
A common understanding of a map is a flat or 2D representation of a location. However, the maps can also be there dimensional, like a globe or a 3D virtual globe.
Map making throughout human history has given researchers a great deal of understanding of how different cultures and civilizations viewed the world around them based on how they made maps and what was depicted on those creations.
The practice of cartography is as much about removing things as it is about representing them. A map does not and cannot represent everything in place. Things should be omitted, simplified, etc. for the map to make sense. This is how a map achieves clarity and utility: remove the details of the world so that the map’s purpose shines through.
Map Types
In general, maps fall into two categories:
- Reference maps emphasize the location of spatial phenomena, such as countries, cities, rivers, etc. Most likely, the maps you use most in your daily life are reference maps, street maps that help you see where things are. Other common reference maps emphasize physical landscapes: think topographic maps or maps of a national park.
- USGS topographic maps and Google Maps are classic and modern examples of reference maps, primarily intended to show where things are.
- Thematic maps emphasize the spatial pattern of geographic attributes or statistics about places and relationships between places. For example, while a reference map might show the locations of cities, a thematic map might also represent the population of those cities. A reference map can show bank locations, while a thematic map shows the average income in an area. It is the difference between mapping places and mapping data.
Elements of a map
- Maps commonly have some features that allow them to be read universally. These features include a compass rose that shows where north, east, south, and west are in relation to the landforms on the map. Modern maps are usually drawn with North at the top, but this is not always the case and certainly not for many thousands of years.
- Maps also have a scale, which shows how small the image is in relation to the actual size of the land mass shown on the map. This is sometimes shown as a ratio such as 1:1,000,000 or one centimeter equals 100 kilometers on the map. These symbols are shown in the key or legend, a box on the map that decodes these symbols for quick and easy reading of the map.
- There may also be a grid overlay on the map, which can not only help you determine how far apart places are from one another, but also give you an easier way to reference the places you’re trying to find. For example, most maps have lines of latitude and longitude labeled alphabetically in one direction and numerically in the other. If you want to find a specific city, just look it up in the map index and reference the letter and number in the grid, which would give you a more focused view of where to find the place you’re looking for.
- Early maps. The maps were created with stones, clay, and other materials common to the regions in which they were made. These maps were often very abstract, as early civilizations did not have the ability to map and encompass specific locations or mathematics. Therefore, these maps are made with certain cities or countries at their centers, rather than a cardinal direction such as North. Evidence for this is seen in early maps showing Jerusalem as the center with cities like Acre, Aleppo, Damascus, Amman, and Tire around it; Some maps discovered in Japan can only be read when aligned with the imperial palace. Early maps were also drawn with an emphasis on nearby waterways, whether they were nearby oceans or seas or local rivers and lakes. Water was and still is the most important resource for sustaining civilizations and therefore it was shown on the maps from the very beginning.
- Modern maps. Today we have the ability to create map projections, or ways of viewing the 3D world on 2D surfaces. Each projection has its pros and cons, as it is impossible to create a 100% accurate flat representation of a 3D surface without distortion. Common projections are the Mercator Projection, the Cahill Butterfly Map, the Wagner VI Projection, and the Mollweide Projection. These are just a few of the many different types of modern map projections available to us. Being able to map the world around us is a skill that cartographers have continued to learn and hone over years of work and study. The maps of ancient civilizations helped us create our understanding of the world today, as well as how they viewed the world around them at that time.
How are maps made?
Before making a map, cartographers decide what area they want to show and what kind of information they want to present. They consider the needs of their audience and the purpose of the map. These decisions determine what kind of projection and scale they need, and what kind of details will be included.
Most of the maps are made with the help of computers. The coordinates of each point are entered into a computer. By entering new data into the PC or deleting old data, changes to the map can be made quickly and easily. You can change colors, add new roads, and modify topographic features, such as the flow of a river. The new map can be easily printed thanks to computers.