Types of Maps
Week 6 of 32 • Page 3
There are many different kinds of maps. You can use them to explore the world. Some maps display the characteristics of physical environments. Other maps show where people live and how they interact with their environment.
A physical map shows the natural features of an area. Natural features include landforms, mountains, valleys, lakes, and streams.
A political map shows the borders of regions, countries, states, and cities. Some political maps represent even smaller divisions, such as counties, townships, and neighborhoods.
Some maps show the climate of a region. Climate is the study of weather over time. A climate map shows whether a place is usually warm or cold and wet or dry.
Cultural maps identify community cultures and resources. These maps are used to help plan and implement the distribution of resources. Cultural maps also connect cultural groups based on their beliefs and values. Cultural maps illustrate the relationships and interactions between people, places, and the environment.
Historical maps are created to represent historical events in the time period they occurred.
A p opulation map is used to show the overall distribution of the population within a particular area or region. Most maps use colors or symbols, such as circles or stars, to represent the varying populations. Population maps are useful for the government to plan how to distribute resources.
Why is it important to use different types of maps in your study of geography?
Geographers use many tools to study the physical and human features of the Earth. We can study the features of the world from a spatial perspective. Spatial perspective is the study of geographic features of an area using multiple tools. These tools include maps, globes, and satellite images. Technology presents new and exciting ways to learn about the world. We can use GPS to help us study the world. GPS stands for Global Positioning System . It’s made up of over 18 satellites that are orbiting, or circling, the Earth in space. These satellites send information to Spatial Perspective
stations on the ground. This allows scientists to take very specific measurements of different locations all over the Earth. With the newest GPS systems, scientists can pinpoint a place on Earth to the nearest centimeter! You can also use GPS to find how long it takes to get from one place to another. Most new cars and smartphones today come with a built-in GPS receiver. By using geographic tools, we can view the world from many different perspectives. This can help us determine how things work to make a place unique.
Made with FlippingBook Annual report