GRAPHICREPRESENTATIONOF THE EARTH

Maps and globes are consideredthe most valuable tools ofgeography. They help usgreatly in studying the world by showing the shapes and sizes of countries, varied natural and cultural features, locations and patterns of

distribution over the Earth’s surface.

Maps

A map is a graphical representation of all or part of the Earth on a flat surface.Maps are very useful to geographers as well as to other people. They present certaininformation about the world we live in. They can show some patterns of distribution,such as population, rainfall, food production and settlements. They show the sizes, shapes,directions and exact locations of countries, and etc.

USES AND KINDS OF

MAPS1.Road maps

2.Weather maps

3.Demographic maps

Cartography

One of the earliest known maps was drawn on a clay tablet showing an area in Mesopotamia dating back about 4,000 years ago.

Cartography or mapmaking is believed to have originated from the ancient Greek. Because of their speculation about the size and shape of the Earth which was later proven to be correct, they were able to develop the grid system or network of lines of latitude and longitude on a world map. Eratosthenes, a Greek scholar,speculated on the size of the Earth utilizing mathematics.

Clauduis Ptolemy

a well-known Greek cartographer and astronomer, produced a geography bookcontaining maps and valuable information of some 8,000 places.

Later, more maps were made available through the art of printing.

Later the development of cartography was further enhanced by the extensive use of air photography, color printing, lithography, and computers in mapping. In navigating, and air traveling.

The people who make maps are called cartographers.

Map projection is an orderly arrangement of meridiansand parallels on which one draws a map.

The Mercator projection shows the true orcorrect shapes of the areas on Earth.

Equal Area Projection shows the area of a plane correctly. The proportion of an area is correctly shown in this kindof map.

Gnomonic Projection shows the true directions. This is the map used by pilots. This is used to find outthe shortest way or the air route between two places.

Kinds of MapsGeneral Reference Maps These are simple maps showing important physical (natural and man-made) features in an area.  They usually have a primary purpose of summarizing the landscape to aid discovery of locations.  They are usually easy to read and understand.  Most of the early mapping of the Earth falls into this group.As a general rule, General Reference Maps would only show relief in a stylized manner. Street and tourist maps are good examples of general reference maps.

Special Purpose or Thematic Maps

is a type of map especially designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area. These maps "can portray physical, social, political, cultural, economic, sociological, agricultural, or any other aspects of a city, state, region, nation, or continent".

Basic Elementsof a Map

Globea spherical or rounded object that represents the earth.