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Maps as Tools for Geography - Coggle Diagram
Maps as Tools for Geography
Sketch map
One of the easiest and most essential maps for geographers to be able to draw is a simple sketch map.
Sketch maps are usually drawn in the field (that is, the place in the natural or urban environment where the data are collected).
A sketch map is a simplified illustration or drawing of an area that shows the basic location of certain features.
These maps are drawn in a “bird’s eye” perspective as if you were a bird looking down on the scene.
Sketch maps are generally not drawn to scale.
How to Make a Line Drawing or Field Sketch Map
Imagine that you are a bird flying over the area that you are about to draw. Sketch maps need to be drawn from this angle.
Draw a frame. Inside the frame, sketch the starting point. Draw the path to any main features that you might encounter along the way.
If these features are difficult to draw, or do not fit on the page, you can use simple symbols to represent them.
The meaning of every symbol used must be explained in the legend (an explanatory table)
Draw any other relevant details and label the main features.
Add a heading and, if known, an arrow pointing north.
Cartograms
Cartograms are a useful way for geographers to portray quantitative, or numeric, information.
Often, these maps are abstract or simplified and not to scale.
A cartogram is a type of picture that shows specific attributes of geographic space or objects using the size of the object to show its relative value.
A geographic object is something that exists in geographic space, like a country, a city, or a river.
These are not true maps as changes in the size of the geographic object show a specific attribute, such as average amount of income by city or town.
Types of cartograms
A contiguous cartogram
maintains the topology or connection of adjacent geographic objects. As the size of these adjacent objects change, great distortion in the shape appears in the drawing.
In a
non-contiguous cartogram
, the geographic objects do not have to be connected with adjacent geographic objects. Because we free these objects from their adjacent spaces, these objects can grow or shrink in size and maintain their shape.
A Dorling cartogram
ignores both shape and the connections between objects. In order to create a Dorling cartogram, a map maker will replace the object with a uniform shape (usually a circle) of an appropriate size to represent the attribute being studied.
A special type of Dorling-like cartogram is identical in purpose and design, except that it specifically uses squares to represent the geographic object and attributes. This is called the
Demers cartogram
and emphasizes that a square will leave fewer gaps between shapes and objects.