Maps

GEOGRAPHY AND MAPS

Importance of maps

Because Geographers need to be able to imagine how the earth's surface is used in different ways, they represent many of the things they are studying using maps.

A map is a picture of the ground drawn looking down from above and represented on a piece of paper.

Maps are used to show how geographical features are distributed over the earth's surface.

TASK 1: Types of map

Some important types of map:

A. Physical maps show the physical features of an area, such as mountains, lakes, vegetation, soils.

B. Political maps show political divisions such as counties, sub-counties, districts, countries, provinces, territories.

C. Climatic maps show climatic zones and such things as rainfall distribution, temperature and atmospheric pressure.

D. Population maps show the number of people living in an area and where they are concentrated.

E. Economic maps show economic activities in a region, such as farming, mining, fishing, industries and transport.

Study carefully each of the maps below.

(a) What information do they provide and how clearly do you think they provide it?

(b) For each of the maps below say which of the categories, A to E above, it falls into:

MAP 1

MAP 2

MAP 3

MAP 4

MAP 5

Climate Zones

MAP 6

KEY TO TOPOGRAPHIC MAP