Map Interpretation

Maps use different colours, symbols and text to give information.

Colours generally show different countries or the elevation or altitude of the ground above the sea level.

Symbols show things, like roads, towns, castles, mountains, etc. Their meaning is explained in a box called key.

Text is used to give the names of places, mountains, etc.

The scale of a map is the relation between a distance measured on a map and the same distance measured in reality. It can be shown in two different ways on a map: as a graphic scale or a numerical scale.

A graphic scale is a small bar, divided into segments which show a distance in metres or kilometres. For example, the bar is two centimetres long and is the equivalent to fice kilometres. This means that two centrimetres on the map is the equivalent to five kilometres in reality.

A numerical scale is a fraction which also expresses the relation between the distance on a map and the distance in realigy. For example, a numerical scale of 1: 250 000 means that 1 centimetre (or other unit of measurement) on the map, is the equivalent of 250 000 centimetres in reality.

Maps include a compass rose that indicates the cardinal directions.

Types of maps:

- Political maps show countries, their borders and their capital cities...

- Physical maps show physical features, like mountains, rivers, plains...

- A weather map shows cloud cover, rain and temperatures.