Intro to Human Geography

Two-dimensional representation or flat model of the Earth’s surface or a portion of it.

What are the different uses of a map?

http://tipstrategies.com/archive/geography-of-jobs/

http://healthmap.org/flugov/

A Map of Twitter’s LanguagesMike McCandless & Eric Fischer

Map of Metal

Strange Maps Blog

Maps as Art

Way of depicting the world in a reduced form.

Two Kinds: Cartographic scale : expresses ratio of

distance on map to Earth. Observational / methodological scale –

levels of analysis.Local, regional, national, international

scales

As a ratio or fraction, depicting the relationship between the distance on the map and the distance in real life.

A written scale-an actual statement.

A graphic scale, which is usually a bar.

Small scale maps have small land features, but more area is shown.

Large scale maps show larger land features, but you see less area covered.

Owu.edu

The larger the denominator, the smaller the scale, and the larger the area shown.

Location of any place can be described precisely by meridians and parallels

**************************************Meridians (lines of longitude)

Prime meridianParallels (lines of latitude)

The equator

Geographyalltheway.com

Describe lines of latitude:

Describe lines of longitude:

Since the Earth is round, geographers have to find a way to get an accurate flat representation of the Earth’s features.

The projection is the process of transferring the features.

Flattening the Earth

See page 387

The shape can be distorted. The distance between two points can be

increased or decreased. The relative size of areas may be

altered-so countries might look bigger than others when they shouldn’t.

The direction from one place to another can be distorted.

Perfectly depict:

Distance Direction Area Shape Proximity

But it is not possible!

Making a map always involves a choice about what properties you are going to sacrifice, and what ones you are going to keep.

Cartographers have to consider the purpose for which the map they are making will be used.

Satellites (Space), Tracking Stations (Control), and Receivers (Users)

Used by the military and by civilians http://www.gps.gov

Video provided by the US Air Force

A computer program that can capture, store, query, analyze and display geographic data.

Data is “geocoded” or assigned a mathematical position on Earth.

A tool for creating maps or for spatial analyses.

More detail at: http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/gis_poster/

King County GIShttp://www.kingcounty.gov/operations/

GIS/Maps/iMAP.aspx

Zillowwww.zillow.com

Google Earth Other Interactive Maps on the Web Interested in free GIS software?

http://www.qgis.org/