GEO 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Contour Line, Cartogram, Conformal Map
Document Summary
Map: 2d graphical representation of the surface of earth: no map can perfectly represent reality, mapmakers exercise discretion in the spatial information they display and the way they display it. Ex: a river represented as a squiggly line: scale. Large scale shows less area with more detail. Small scale shows large areas with less detail. Map scale often decides what amount of cartographic abstraction is necessary. The scale of a map refers to the size of the area covered by the map. Small area covered = large scale: aggregation. The level of data aggregation (data present) used to produce a map: type. Mental (abstractions that are not physically present on the geographical landscape but can be mapped; have spatial attributes) tangible (paper maps, papyrus maps; any map you can physically hold or touch) virtual (screen viewing or projecting) Qualitative (highest stress cities) quantitative (numbers; deaths per.