WORLD GEOGRAPHY SKILLS HANDBOOK GLOBES AND MAPS A
WORLD GEOGRAPHY SKILLS HANDBOOK
GLOBES AND MAPS • A GLOBE IS A SCALE MODEL OF THE EARTH. IT PRESENTS THE MOST ACCURATE DEPICTION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION; AREA, DISTANCE, AND DIRECTION. • A PRINTED MAP IS A SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF ALL ORPART OF THE PLANET. • TO CREATE MAPS CARTOGRAPHERS USE MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS TO TRANSFER INFORMATION FROM THE 3 D GLOBE TO THE 2 D MAP. • TO FIND THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN 2 POINTS ON THE GLOBE, STRETCH A PIECE OF STRING AROUND THE GLOBE. THE STRING WILL BE PART OF A GREAT CIRCLE (Imaginary line that follows earth’s curve). Traveling around the Great Circle is called following a great circle route.
PROJECTIONS • A projection of earth on a flat surface is a map projection. • Planar Projection: Also known as azimuthal projection it is most accurate at its center and is often used to map the poles. Any point to the center of earth would be shortest distance.
PROJECTIONS • Cylindrical Projection: Projection of the globe into a cylinder. This projection is more accurate near the Equator.
PROJECTIONS • Conic Projection: Placing a cone over part of a globe. East to west areas not to far from the equator.
COMMON MAP PROJECTIONS • WINKEL TRIPEL PROJECTION: Most general reference world maps are the Winkel Tripel projection. Good balance between size and shape.
COMMON MAP PROJECTIONS • GOODE’S INTERRUPTED PROJECTION: Resembles a world that has been cut apart and laid flat. True size and shape of land masses but distances are generally distorted.
COMMON MAP PROJECTIONS • ROBINSON PROJECTION: Minor distortions. Polar areas are flattened.
COMMON MAP PROJECTIONS • MERCATOR PROJECTION: Useful for sea travel. Accurately shows directions and shapes.
DETERMINING LOCATION • Lines on globes and maps provide information on how to find places. The lines cross one another and form a Grid System. • A Hemisphere is one of the halves into which the Earth is divided. 4 Hemispheres in total. • Latitude: Also called lines of parallels, they circle the earth parallel to the Equator, and measure the distance north or south of the Equator. The Equator is located at 0 degrees Latitude. The poles are located at 90 degrees North (north pole) and 90 degrees south (south pole). • Longitude: Also called meridians, they circle the Earth from pole to pole. They measure distance from the Prime Meridian, East or West. The 180 degrees on the other side of the earth is called International Date Line.
GLOBAL GRID • ABSOLUTE LOCATION: Longitude and Latitude lines cross exactly at a certain place, determining absolute location. Each degree is also divided into 60 minutes.
LOCATION • ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE LOCATION: By determining the location of a place in relation to another, we find the relative location. Relative: South of, East of, etc. . .
READING A MAP • SCALE BAR: HOW MANY MILES OR KILOMETERS ARE REPRESENTED BY EVERY INCH OR CENTIMETER. • COMPASS ROSE: FOUR CARDINAL DIRECTIONS. • INTERMEDIATE DIRECTIONS: NORTHEAST, SOUTHEAST, ETC… • CITIES: REPRESENTED BY A DOT. • CAPITALS: REPRESENTED BY A STAR OR CIRCLE. • BOUNDARY LINES: BORDERS BETWEEN COUNTRIES AND STATES. • SCALE: CONSISTENT, PROPORTIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEASUREMENTS ON MAP AND MEASUREMENTS ON EARTH’S SURFACE.
MAPS • PHYSICAL MAP: LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY (SHAPE) OF EARTH’S PHYSICAL FEATURES. MAY ALSO SHOW SOME POLITICAL FEATURES.
MAPS • RELIEF AND ELEVATION: KEY COLORS TO SHOW DIFFERENCES IN HEIGHTS ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
MAPS • POLITICAL MAP: SHOWS THE BOUNDARIES AND LOCATIONS OF COUNTRIES, CITIES AND TOWNS. HUMAN-MADE FEATURES. MAY SHOW SOME PHYSICAL FEATURES.
MAPS • QUALITATIVE MAP: USES COLORS, SYMBOLS, LINES OR DOTS TO SHOW HISTORICAL INFORMATION.
MAPS • FLOW-LINE MAPS: ILLUSTRATE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE, ANIMALS, GOODS, PROCESSES.
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS • GIS: SOFTWARE PROGRAMS DESIGEND TO ACCEPT DATA FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES; MAPS, SATELLITE IMAGES, PRINTED TEXT AND STATISTICS. • CONVERTS CODE AND TURNS IT INTO DATA.
ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY • GEOGRAPHY STUDY THE LOCATION OF PEOPLE AND PLACES ON EARTH’S SURFACE AND THE PATTERNS IN WHICH THEY ARE ARRANGED. • INTERACTION OF PEOPLE, PLACES AND ENVIRONMENTS. • SIX ELEMENTS: THE WORLD IN SPATIAL TERMS, PLACES AND REGIONS, PHYSICAL SYSTEMS, HUMAN SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY, THE USES OF GEOGRAPHY.
THE WORLD IN SPATIAL TERMS
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