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Components of a Map
A map is a pictorial representation of a geographical location. It constitutes at least seven essential components, including the title, compass, scale, grid and index, labels, legend, north arrow, and citation. The title outlines the purpose of a map, and it is the first thing that a reader has to see. Krygier and Wood alleges that a title answers the questions regarding the what, where, and when of a map (25). A compass is invaluable in showing the direction on a map. It enables cartographers to relate various features on the map to what is on the ground. The legend is subordinate to compass and title and it helps to identify unconventional symbols that are depicted on a map.
The north arrow helps to determine the positioning of the map and establish a link to the data frame. The scale is used to show the distance between two points on a map. It is helpful in computing the area of a given region within a map. Krygier and Wood define labels as terms that are used to identify sites on a map (31). They employ distinct names to depict establishments, roads, rivers, and streets.
Grids refer to the horizontal and vertical lines found on an atlas map. On the other hand, indices constitute a combination of numbers and letters that placed next to the grid. Grid and index are helpful in identifying the location of a given feature on the map. The citation section of a map comprises metadata. This information is helpful in understanding the source of information contained in a map and how to or not to utilize it.
Mercator and Robinson Projection
Cartographers rely on projections when creating maps, as it is hard to represent a spherical globe on a flat surface. These specialists use various projections, among them Mercator and Robinson to minimize misrepresentation of curved surfaces. As per Krygier and Wood, some projections alter the size of physical features while others affect their silhouettes (34). The Mercator projection interferes with the size of landforms where features that are close to the poles are mostly affected. Robinson projection distorts the shapes of the features on a map. The cartographer uses longitudes and latitudes to create the curved shape of the globe.
Robinson projection is more accurate than Mercator because it does not exaggerate the size of landforms. Robinson projections were used in the atlas section of the coursebook. The sizes of the maps are less distorted compared to their shapes.
Types of Maps
There are different types of maps, including political, thematic, topographical, climatic, and economic. Political maps are used to delineate national and state boundaries. They also show the relative positions of different cities compared to others. An example of a political map is one that represents Quebec Province. The topographical maps show clear details of varied physical features using contour lines. A good example of this kind of diagram is the ordinance survey map. Thematic maps are created to convey messages regarding specific subjects like weather, population density, and geology. An example of a thematic map is the one used by Esri to show the distribution of Corona Virus (COVID-19) across Asia and Europe.
Relative and Absolute Location
Geographers use relative and absolute location to highlight the position of a place or landform on the universe. Relative location identifies the locus of a place or feature in relation to other landmarks. For instance, one may give the relative location of Quebec Province in relation to Ontario. Relative location is mostly used when determining the distance from one place to another. For instance when determining how far a beach is from a given city.
The absolute location uses coordinates (longitudes and latitudes) to define the actual location of a place. The absolute location of a place remains constant. Absolute location is mostly used in navigation and air transport to determine the exact location of a place. For instance, one would require using absolute location to determine the coordinates of London City from Timbuktu.
Experience with Maps
I have never drawn a map for someone else to use. However, I have had an opportunity to use a map to conduct a population census in our area. The exercise served as an eye-opener on the importance of representing features on a map accurately. The topographical maps that we used for the census showed clear details of all house structures, as well as the various roads and footpaths that lead to these buildings. Consequently, it was easy for us to access the homesteads and conduct surveys. Were the features distorted, it would have been difficult to identify them, thereby hindering our ability to cover all households.
Work Cited
Krygier, John, and Denis Wood. Making Maps: A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS. The Guilford Press, 2016.
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