Study Guide for Map Parts/Map Types/Map
Projections Test
Map Title –
explains the subject of the map
Map Legend –
explains the symbols on the map, including colors
Map Scale –
shows the ratio between a unit of length on the map and a unit of distance on the Earth
Compass Rose
– sets the direction on the map with:
1) Cardinal Directions – North, South,
East, West
2)
Intermediate Directions – Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest
Labels –
Words or phrases that explain features on the map such as country names, city
names, points of interest, highways, forests, lakes, rivers, etc.
Latitude –
imaginary lines that run east and west, and measure distance north or south of
the equator (also called parallels)
Important Lines of Latitude are:
Equator 0°
Tropic of Cancer 23° 26’ N
Tropic of Capricorn 23° 26’ S
Arctic Circle 66° 33’ N
Antarctic Circle 66° 33’ S
Longitude – imaginary lines the run from the north
pole to the south pole, and measure distance east and west of the Prime
Meridian (also known as meridians)
Important Lines of Longitude:
Prime Meridian 0°
International Dateline 180°
Absolute Location – found by using the coordinates of
latitude and longitude
Relative Location – directions given by people to find a
location
Contour Maps – a way of expressing elevation on a map;
the closer the contour lines are together the higher the elevation
Globes – 3D, are not distorted, do not show detail, and are more
accurate than maps; they are not portable
Maps – 2D, show land distortions because the earth is not flat,
are cheaper than globes, have themes, and are portable
Map Projections – a way to draw maps to show less
distortion
Types of Projections:
Mercator – used by ship navigators; shows land
distortions at the top and bottom (Greenland and Anarctica are too big;
latitude and longitude cross at right angles
Polar – used by pilots because it shows the
shortest distance between 2 points; it is a circle, it only shows one
hemisphere; the latitude lines form circles and the longitude lines radiate
from the center
Robinson – used to compare data by geographers and
researchers; has curved sides and the longitude lines curve toward the north
and south poles
Types of Maps:
Political Maps – show man made things such as boundary
lines, cities, states, provinces, and countries
Physical Maps – show landforms and bodies of waters ( a
map can be both physical and political at the same time)
Thematic Maps – show different types of information
focused on a theme
Types of Thematic Maps:
Population Density and
Distribution
Climate
Ethnicity
Language
Economic
Resources (agricultural
and natural)
Precipitation
Vegetation
Small Scale Maps – show a large, general area with little
or no details; used to show relative location
Large Scale Maps – show a smaller are with greater detail;
used to show absolute location
