Geographic Studies
Meteorology Biology
Ecology
Geology
Climate Studies
Biogeography
Environmental
Geomorphology
Studies
Auxiliary
Economic Geography Sciences:
Economy Historic Math
Geography Cartography
Geography
Topography
Computer
Science
Social
Politic
Geography
Regional Geography
Population Geography History
Studies
Urban Politicology
Studies
Sociology Anthropology
Method Principles
• Location (Absolute and Relative location)
• Causality – Studies what or who causes a natural or social
phenomena or processes
• Human-Environment Interaction
• Movement and Distribution
• Evolution or Transformation
• Generalization
Tools for Geographers
MAPS
• A map is a 2 dimensional graphic of the
earth or part of the earth.
• A person who makes maps is called a
cartographer.
• Maps are important as a tool for
geography because we can show so
much information about the earth on
one document.
• There are parts to maps, types of maps,
and even map projections that are very
important as a basis for all of
geography.
Geographic Information
• Cartographers today use many sources of data collected for their maps.
GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is the most accurate to date: GIS is
using computers to plot points and use different sources such as
satellites, maps, pictures (images)-to create an electronic layer. Each
layer is given a code number which allows geographers to change and
create maps easier on a computer.
Air Photography and Satellite Images can help gather information to then
be placed on maps. Cartographers can interpret what they see and plot
it on a map.
GPS (Global Positioning Systems) use satellites around the world to plot
the exact point of location from an electronic receiver.
PARTS OF A MAP
• Key/ Legend: Shows information as symbols
• Scale: Used for measuring distance (like a ruler)
• Scale can also be shown in ratio form (ex. 1:10) or by an
equation (ex. 1 inch = 10 miles)
• Directional Arrow: All maps must have AT LEAST an arrow
showing relative direction. This is called orientation
• Compass Rose: Shows Cardinal & Intermediary Directions
N
Other things to look for when reading a map
• Boundaries
outlined by
different colors
• Capital Cities are
indicated with a
circle around
them (or stars)
• Major cities
indicated by a
black dot.
Types of Maps
Political Map
This is a map that shows political
boundaries, borders, area of
political entities (countries,
states, territories, districts,
zones, counties, provinces, etc)
These types of maps may also
show capitals/ other cities.
Physical Map
This type of map uses colors
to show elevation and other
land/water features of the
earth. This map may also
show any physical feature
such as mountains, oceans,
rivers, valleys, etc.
Theme Map
This type of map shows
“themes” or subjects on a
map- basically any
information. Anything can be
shown on a map using
symbols, colors, pictures,
numbers, contour lines, etc.
ALL THEMATIC MAPS MUST
HAVE A KEY- this tells the
reader what each
picture/symbols/color/etc
represents on the map
Small-Scale /Large Scale-Maps
Large scale Map-Small area with great detail
Small Scale-Large Area with little detail
Map
Projections
MAP PROJECTIONS
• To find just the right map to use, ask yourself “What am
I trying to show on my map?”
• You don’t want to use a map that has too much
distortion (being mis-shapen on a map)
• Usually you ask the question for one of the following
four map topics:
• AREA
• DIRECTION
• DISTANCE
• SHAPE
MERCATOR
Shows accurate direction, but
area & shapes are severely
distorted at the poles and
most accurate at the equator.
Mercator projections are
based on cylinders.
ROBINSON
Shows accurate shape &
size of continents, but
water areas are
expanded to fill in area.
Robinson projections are
based on ovals.
Goode -INTERRUPTED
Shows accurate area & shape
of continents, but oceans
have open pie-shaped
wedges are to adjust for
distance.
CONICAL
Comes from placing a cone over
part of the globe-best suited for
limited east-west areas that are
not to far from the equator. It
shows accurate distance,
direction, & shape for the
limited area mapped.
They are cone shaped!
AZIMUTH /Planar (aka POLAR)
Used for mapping hemispheres
instead of whole Earth. Shows
accurate distance & direction but
shape and size are distorted at
the edges. Polar view is called
Azimuth.
Winkel-Tripel Projection
Most general reference world maps
use this projection. Adopted by the
National Geographic Society in
1998. It has a good balance
between size and shape of land
areas as they are shown on the
map-with the polar areas depicting
less distortion of size compared to
other maps.
Great Circle Routes
Airline Pilots would use
these maps to follow
Great Circle Routes (the
shortest path between
two points along the
curve of the Earth)
The great circle on a spherical surface is the
path with the smallest curvature, and,
hence, an arc. THE GREAT CIRCLE ROUTE is
the shortest path between two points on a
spherical surface.
On the Earth, the meridians are on great
circles, and the equator is a great circle.
Other lines of latitude are not great circles,
because they are smaller than the equator;
their centers are not at the center of the
Earth
The Great Circle Route
Great Circle Route-
Upper view
MANY USES FOR MAPS
You MUST be familiar with maps for many different reasons…
• Driving (Road Maps)
• Locating places (Political Maps)
• Traveling (Political or Physical Maps)
• Researching (Thematic Maps)
• Building (Topographic Maps)
• And basically knowing where you are in relation to your
surroundings!!!!
Coordinates
Parallels and Meridians:
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
Reading coordinates is very
important in finding location
X- AXIS in geography.
Remember that you read the
“x-axis” (latitude) first and
then read the “y-axis”
Y- AXIS
(longitude) second.
(x,y)
GLOBAL GRID LINES
Meridians
Parallels - Latitud Lines Meridians - Longitude Lines
• Lines show distance north & • Lines that show distance east
south of the equator &west of the Prime Meridian
• Measurement numbers: 0’ to 90’ • Measurement Numbers: 0’ to 180’
• “lat” is “flat” • “long lines”
• Example • Example:
• Equator • Prime Meridian
• Tropic of Cancer • International Date Line
• Arctic Circle
Longitude and latitude coordinates are
measured in degrees. The shape of the Earth is
a Sphere. It is 360 degrees around a sphere
(like a circle). Each degree is divided into 60
minutes, which in turn is divided into 60
seconds.
Each degree of latitude and longitude is
1/360th of the distance around the Earth.
Latitude and longitude are determined by
measuring the angle between the equator or
Prime Meridian and any point on Earth.
It is read in degrees and minutes. For Example
(39°36'24"N, -86°6'26"W) you would say, 39
degrees, 36 minutes, and 24 seconds north of
the equator and 86 degrees, six minutes and
26 seconds west of the Prime Meridian.
THE GLOBAL GRID
ARCTIC CIRCLE found at 66 ½ o NORTH of the Equator
TROPIC OF CANCER found at 23 ½ o NORTH of the
The Earth is divided by
Equator
latitude and longitude
EQUATOR which splits the earth into two
lines. There
hemispheres o
are several
at 0 Latitude
important lines to know o
TROPIC OF CAPRICORN found 23 ½ SOUTH of
onEquator.
the the earth's surface:
ANTARCTIC CIRCLE found at 66 ½ o SOUTH of the Equator
6 PRIME MERIDIAN which runs north to south at 0
o LONGITUDE
READING COORDINATES
•Read the coordinates for LATITUDE
first….
33o NORTH latitude
•Read LONGITUDE next….
97o WEST longitude
•Which means that coordinates for
Dallas, Texas would look like this:
33oN, 97oW
Find the following
locations.
• 21.1619° N, 86.8515° W
• 38.9072° N, 77.0369° W
• 30.0444° N, 31.2357° E
• 33.8568° S, 151.2153° E
• 41.8101° S, 68.9063° W
Homework
•Find the Absolute Locations for:
• Eiffel Tower
• Big Ben
• Niagara Falls
• Your home
• An important place of your choice.
Other Tools
GRID MAPS Cheddar, England is found
in grid square A-9
Grid maps are another way to
look at finding location. Instead of
latitude and longitude lines, use
grid squares to find a specific
place on a small area of the earth.
Atlas
An atlas is a book of maps.
Atlas
• An atlas contains maps of the world or a region of the world
• Some atlases also include more information about the places they
include in the maps
• Atlases can be very helpful for traveling, instead of bringing many
maps, you can bring one atlas.
Globe
A globe is a model
of the Earth used to
avoid distortions in
spatial relations on
the world.
Globe
• Maps of the world are distorted during the process of plotting a
round object on a flat surface
• A globe is round, so it remains accurate
• The globe provides an accurate scale of how far apart locations are
• A globe can be used to compare the size of different locations
Aerial Photography
Aerial photographs are
photographs taken from the
sky and used to take
measurements or create
maps
They can be taken from
airplanes, balloons, or even
kites.
Satellite Photographs
Satellite photos are like aerial
photos but taken from space.
Information Graphics
Information graphics or
infographics are visual
representations of data.
They show information using
pictures or symbols and can
be as simple as a bar graph
or very complex
GIS (Geographic Information System)
GIS is a computer based
program used to store,
manage, and analyze data.
GIS (Geographic Information System)
• A GIS map is more than a map because it can pull up a lot
of information
• Geographers use GIS to help make decisions
• Imagine you wanted to make sure schools were not near
any factories that might pollute the air
• With a GIS mapping, geographers can use the database (place
that stores information) to show where all the schools are and
also show where all the the factories are
• The GIS helps geographers see how information relates to
locations
Global Positioning
System
Use satellites around the world
to plot the exact point of
location from an electronic
receiver.
Geographers use Charts and graphs for determining what
factors in various situations are important
Bar graph Be able to distinguish the
difference between them!
Line Graph
Circle or Pie Graphs
Chart/Table
