Cultural Geography - Introduction

Maps & Projections

Maps merely representations of reality

• map essentials
  
  
  • Title, date, legend
  • Scale - 1:24,000 means 1 unit = 24,000 real world units
  • Direction (orientation)
  • Location
  • Map Projection
    • Different projections - used for different functions
      • direction, distance, shape and area (size)

Latitude and Longitude (geographic grid system)

• Making a flat map for a round world
  • Greeks developed localized grid system for round world!
    
    
• latitude - "Parallels"
  • One degree divided into minutes & second only
    

• longitude - "Meridians"
  • Prime Meridian
    

Longitude and Time

• International Date Line
  • Opposite side of Prime Meridian
  • Heading West to lapse into next day (e.g. Weds goes to Thurs.)