Maps Class 6 Geography Notes | StudyTution

Maps 

  • A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to a scale.
  • It is impossible to flatten a round shape completely.

Atlas

  • When many maps are put together we get an Atlas.
  • Atlases are of various sizes, measurements drawn on different scales. Maps provide more information than
    a globe.

PHYSICAL MAPS

  • Maps showing natural features of the earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, oceans etc. are
    called physical or relief maps.

POLITICAL MAPS

  • Maps showing cities, towns and villages, and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries
    are called political maps.

THEMATIC MAPS

  • Some maps focus on specific information; such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing distribution of
    forests, industries etc. are known as thematic maps.

Components of Maps

  1. DISTANCE
  • Maps are drawings, which reduce the entire world or a part of it to fit on a sheet of paper.
  • Maps are drawn to reduced scales.
  • This reduction is done very carefully so that the distance between the places is real.
  • It can only be possible when a small distance on paper represents a large distance on the ground.
  • Therefore, a scale is chosen for this purpose.

2. Sclae

  • Scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.

3. Small scale map

  • When large areas like continents or countries are to be shown on a paper, then we use a small scale. It is called a small scale map

4.  Large scale map.

  • When a small area like your village or town is to be shown on paper, then we use a large scale that is 5 cm. on the map shows 500 metres only on the ground. It is called a large scale map

*Large scale maps give more information than small scale maps.

DIRECTION

  • Most maps contain an arrow marked with the letter ‘N’ at the upper right hand corner.
  • This arrow shows the north direction.
  • It is called the north line.
  • When you know the north, you can find out other directions, for example east, west and south.
  1. Cardinal points
  • North, South, East and West  are called cardinal points
  • Other four intermediate directions are north-east (NE), southeast(SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW).

SYMBOLS

  • It is not possible to draw on a map the actual shape and size of different features such as buildings, roads, bridges, trees, railway lines or a well.
  • They are shown by using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures and lines
  • These symbols give a lot of information in a limited space.
  • With the use of these symbols, maps can be drawn easily and are simple to read.
  • If you don’t know the language of an area and therefore cannot ask someone for directions, you can collect information from maps with the help of these symbols.
  • Maps have a universal language that can be understood by all.
  • There is an international agreement regarding the use of these symbols. These are called conventional
    symbols.
  • Various colours are used for the same purpose.

SKETCH

  • A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale.
  • A rough drawing is required of an area to tell where a particular place is located with respect to other
    places.
  • A rough drawing is drawn without scale, and is called a sketch map.

PLAN

  • A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale.
  • A large-scale map gives lot of information, but there are certain things which we may sometimes want to know
    for example the length and breadth of a room, which can’t be shown in a map.
  • Drawings drawn to scale called a plan.
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