Geography and Cartography Basics

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Questions and Answers

What is a map?

A map is a two-dimensional or flat-scale model of Earth's surface, or a portion of it.

What is the science of mapmaking called?

Cartography

What are the two purposes that maps serve?

A reference and communication tool

What is the purpose of a map as a reference tool?

To help find the shortest route between two places and avoid getting lost. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a map as a communications tool?

To depict the distribution of human activities or physical features. Signup and view all the answers

Who first used the term 'geography'?

Eratosthenes Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'geography' mean?

The study of the places and the relationships between people and their environments. Signup and view all the answers

Who is known as the 'father of Chinese cartography'?

Pei Xiu Signup and view all the answers

Who prepared a world map and geography text in 1154?

Muhammad al-Idrisi Signup and view all the answers

During which period was mapmaking as a reference tool revived?

The Age of Discovery (16th Century) Signup and view all the answers

What is map scale?

The relationship of a feature's size on a map to its actual size on Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of a large-scale map?

It can provide a wealth of detail about a particular place. Signup and view all the answers

What advantage does a small-scale map have?

It effectively communicates processes and trends that affect everyone. Signup and view all the answers

List the four things that typically become distorted in various projections: 1. The shape; 2. The distance; 3. The relative size; 4. The _______.

direction Signup and view all the answers

What do all projections have in common?

They are all distorted in some way. Signup and view all the answers

Name two important types of projections.

Mercator and Robinson Signup and view all the answers

What place is designated as 0 degrees longitude?

The Royal Observatory of Greenwich, England. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the line drawn at 0 degrees longitude?

The prime meridian. Signup and view all the answers

What is the name for the line drawn at 0 degrees latitude?

The equator. Signup and view all the answers

How is a degree of longitude or latitude further subdivided?

By dividing each degree into 60 minutes and each minute into 60 seconds. Signup and view all the answers

How many degrees of longitude do you need to travel across to pass through one 'hour' of time?

15º Signup and view all the answers

How many time zones are there?

24 Signup and view all the answers

Which country first adopted time zones and when?

New Zealand on November 2, 1868. Signup and view all the answers

What is the longitude of the International Date Line?

180º Signup and view all the answers

What is remote sensing?

The acquisition of data about Earth's surface from a satellite orbiting Earth or other long-distance methods. Signup and view all the answers

List several things that geographers can map using remotely sensed data.

The changing distribution of agriculture, drought, sprawl. Signup and view all the answers

What does GPS stand for?

Global Positioning System. Signup and view all the answers

What does GIS stand for?

Geographic Information System. Signup and view all the answers

What do geographers use GIS for?

To store layers of data. Signup and view all the answers

Give four examples of types of data stored in a single layer.

Boundaries of countries, bodies of water, roads, names of places. Signup and view all the answers

What is a mashup in a geographical context?

The practice of overlaying data from one source on top of one of the mapping services. Signup and view all the answers

What are the advantages of the Mercator Projection?

Shape is distorted very little; direction is consistent; map is rectangular. Signup and view all the answers

What are the disadvantages of the Mercator Projection?

Relative size is grossly distorted toward the poles. Signup and view all the answers

What are the advantages of the Robinson Projection?

Useful for displaying information across the oceans. Signup and view all the answers

What are the disadvantages of the Robinson Projection?

Land areas are much smaller than on interrupted maps of the same size. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Maps and Cartography

A map is a two-dimensional model of Earth's surface, scaled for easy use.
Cartography is the science of mapmaking, essential for creating accurate visual representations.

Purposes of Maps

Maps serve as reference tools to find routes and identify locations.
Maps act as communication tools for depicting human activities and physical features.

Geography

The term "geography" originates from Eratosthenes, who created one of the earliest maps.
Geography studies the relationships between people and their environments.

Historical Contributions to Geography

Pei Xiu is known as the "father of Chinese cartography" for creating a detailed map of China in A.D. 267.
Muhammad al-Idrisi prepared a world map in 1154, contributing significantly to Islamic geography.

Mapmaking Evolution

The Age of Exploration in the 16th century revitalized mapmaking as a reference tool.

Map Scale

Map scale indicates the size relationship between features on the map and their actual sizes on Earth.
Large-scale maps show significant detail of small areas, while small-scale maps illustrate broader trends affecting larger regions.

Map Projections

Projections convert the round Earth to a flat map but introduce distortions in shape, distance, relative size, and direction.
Mercator projection and Robinson projection are two significant types, each with advantages and disadvantages in displaying geographic information.

Longitude and Latitude

The prime meridian is designated at 0 degrees longitude, located at the Royal Observatory of Greenwich, England.
The equator is the line at 0 degrees latitude.
Degrees of latitude and longitude can be subdivided into minutes and seconds for precise location identification.

Time Zones

Each hour of time corresponds to a 15º longitude difference, with 24 time zones worldwide.
New Zealand was the first to adopt time zones on November 2, 1868, pioneering modern timekeeping.

Remote Sensing

Remote sensing involves acquiring data from satellites to monitor Earth's surface features.
Applications include mapping agricultural distribution, drought conditions, and urban sprawl.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

GIS stands for Geographic Information System and is used for storing and analyzing data layers.
Examples of stored data in GIS include country boundaries, water bodies, transportation networks, and place names.

Mashups

A mashup overlays data from different sources onto mapping services, enhancing map utility.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Projections

Mercator Projection:
- Advantages: Minimal shape distortion, consistent direction, rectangular shape.
- Disadvantages: Relative size distortion at the poles makes high-altitude regions appear larger than reality.
Robinson Projection:
- Advantages: Effective for oceanic data display.
- Disadvantages: Allocates more space to oceans, resulting in smaller land area representations.

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Description

Explore the fundamentals of maps and cartography in this quiz. Learn about their purposes, historical contributions, and the evolution of mapmaking techniques. Understand key concepts like map scale and the relationship between geography and human activities.