SOCIAL SCIENCES Introductory Unit (Page 3)

INTRODUCTORY UNIT: GEOGRAPHY AS A SCIENCE. MAPS AS THE MAIN TOOL IN GEOGRAPHY.

SUMMARY

PAGE 3

6. ELEMENTS OF A MAP:

The most important ones are:

- TITTLE

- SCALE

- KEY

Other elements:

- ARROW POINTING NORTH

- PROJECTION

- GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES (PARALLELS & MERIDIANS)

7. TYPES OF MAP (classification):

a) According to the information provided:

- TOPOGRAPHIC: they represent all visible and some non-visible aspects of the land.

- THEMATIC: they represent specific themes or issues.

b) According to the scale:

- SMALL SCALE MAPS: more than 1: 500,000

- MEDIUM SCALE MAPS: between 1: 500,000 and 1: 50,000

- LARGE SCALE MAPS: between 1: 50,000 and 1: 5,000

- VERY LARGE SCALE MAPS OR CITY PLANS: less than 1: 5,000

8. LOCALIZATION ON A MAP:

TYPE

RELATIVE

ABSOLUTE

TECHNIQUE USED

FOR RELATIVE LOCALIZATION

- Clues to know the aprox. location of a place

- Point of the compass

FOR ABSOLUTE LOCALIZATION

- Geographical coordinates

ELEMENTS

RELATIVE LOCALIZATION

- Near, at the back of, opposite to, etc.

- N, S, E and W

ABSOLUTE LOCALIZATION

Parallels (LATITUDE 0-90º N or S) and Meridians (LONGITUDE 0-180º E or W).