Introduction to Cartography

Study Notes

Introduction to Cartography

A map is a graphic representation of all or a portion of the earth's surface or other celestial bodies, using signs and symbols at a given scale or projection.
Cartography is the science of map making.

Elements of a Map

Main Map View: the primary area of the map that displays geographical information and features.
Locator Map: a small, often simplified map inset or placed alongside the main map to provide geographical context.
Title and Subtitles: indicate the purpose or theme of the map and provide a succinct description of the map's content.
Legends and Symbols: explain the symbols, colors, and lines used on the map to help users understand what different markings represent.
Scale Indicator: shows the relationship between distances on the map and actual distances on the ground.
Orientation Indicator: helps users quickly orient themselves by providing a sense of scale and location relative to larger, well-known areas.
Graticule: a network of lines on a map that represents the meridians (lines of longitude) and parallels (lines of latitude).
Explanatory Text: provides written information on the map to help users understand the content, purpose, and details of the map.
Source Note: provides information about where the map data originated, crediting the organizations, researchers, or datasets used to create the map.
Projection Information: provides details about the specific map projection used to represent the three-dimensional surface of the earth on a two-dimensional plane.

Types of Maps

Thematic Map
Namria Maps
Topographic Maps
Planimetric Map: shows earth features without elevation (Scale 1:10,000)
Land Use Map: shows existing land use such as commercial, industrial, agricultural, etc. (Scale 1:10,000)
Land Condition Map: shows land form classifications such as mountain, hill, plateau, flood plain, etc. (Scale 1:10,000)
Land Use and Forest Type Maps: shows type of forest, land use, and coverage (Scale 1:100,000)
Land Cover Maps: emphasizes forest, intensive and extensive land use, and coastal areas (Scale 1:250,000)
Administrative Maps: shows regional, provincial, and municipal boundaries with road networks and drainage systems
Nautical Charts
Digital Map
Aerial Photos

History of Cartography

Pre-Historic (25,000 – 4100 B.C.E): the earliest known maps are of the heavens, not the earth.
Ancient History (4100 – 600 B.C.E): the earliest surviving map of the world, the Babylonian World Map (c. 600 BCE), is a symbolic representation.
Early Greek Maps: Hecatæus's map (500 BCE) describes the earth as a circular plate with an encircling Ocean and Greece in the center.
Eratosthenes (275–195 BCE): calculated the circumference of the Earth within 0.5 percent accuracy.
Aristotle (384–322 BCE): thought that the earth could be mapped very accurately using astronomy and mathematics.
Claudius Ptolemy (90–168 CE): revolutionized the depiction of the spherical earth on a map using perspective projection.
Ptolemy's World Map: Image taken from [Map of the Ancient World] Lithographed from the atlas to Ptolemy's.
Early Roman Maps: Pomponius Melas's worldview divides the earth into five zones.
Middle Ages (400-1406 C.E): zonal maps and "TO" maps were used to divide the world into three continents.
Renaissance (1406-1700) - Age of Exploration: maps became more like surveys again, and the discovery of the Americas revived interest in scientific mapping methods.
Invention of the printing press (1445): Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, allowing for mass production of maps.
1477 World Map: Fra Mauro's map was the first printed map.
1492 Columbus 'discovers' Americas: the New World was discovered.
1507 Martin Waldseemüller: made the first true world map that includes the New World.
1522 Magellan's men circumnavigated the world.
1570 Abraham Ortelius created the "first modern atlas".
1633 World Map: Image taken from Gerardi Mercatoris Atlas, sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de fabrica Mundi et fabricati figura.