World Geography / Unit 1: Geography Skills
1.5 Types of Maps and Reading Maps
Notes
Different maps answer different questions. Always read the title first, then the legend.
- Political maps show boundaries, countries and cities. Physical maps show landforms and bodies of water.
- Thematic maps show one topic: climate, population density, languages. Types include choropleth (shaded areas), dot density, flow-line (arrows showing movement) and cartogram (size changed to match data).
- Topographic maps use contour lines to show elevation. Lines close together mean a steep slope; lines far apart mean gentle terrain.
- Map parts: title, legend (key), compass rose, scale, and often a grid.
- Reading a map in words: "A river flows south from mountains in the north into a wide delta; most cities lie along the river." You can infer that people settled where water and flat land are available.
Practice
On a topographic map, contour lines that are packed very close together show
Closely spaced contour lines mean elevation changes quickly over a short distance.
A map uses arrows of different widths to show how many people moved from one country to another. This is a
Flow-line maps use arrows to show movement.
A description reads: "Dense forest covers the western hills. A broad river valley lies to the east, with most towns along the river." Where would farming most likely be concentrated?
Flat, watered valleys are usually best for farming and settlement.
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