The Map, Map Reading and Principles of Geography - World Tourism

The World Map and Map

Reading CrisEdrenDelaPeña

Physical Maps

a rectangular flat map that features the natural geophysical features of the earth’s land mass, such as terrestrial elevations, plateaus, valleys, rivers and the like.

Physical Maps

Political Maps

a rectangular flat map that features the political boundaries of the different countries of the world.

Political Maps

Nautical Charts

a rectangular flat map that provide general indications of the ocean’s depth in fathoms and the characteristics of the sea bottom (sandy, coral, mud).

Nautical Chart

Flat Maps

do not give accurate distances from east to west or vise versa, sometimes greatly distorted.

Fathom unit of measurement of the sea depth.

One fathom equals 6 feetGlobe a sphere that shows either the geophysical features of the earth’s land mass or the political boundaries of the different countries of the world. The only truly accurate map

Circles

the circumference of the earth is divided into 360 degrees. Longitudes and Latitudes are separated by fifteen (15) degrees. Therefore a degree is the unit that measures distances between Latitudes or Longitudes.

Cardinal Points there are four cardinal points in a compass –North, East, South and WestLongitudes

are imaginary lines that stretching from North Pole to South Pole.Latitudes

Are imaginary lines stretching from the Prime Meridian West up to the International Date Line.

Zone is the area between two longitudes

Prime Meridian is the first meridian or the first

Longitude. Is also referred to as Greenwich Meridian

Time.International Date Line is the last meridian or where the +180 degrees and the -180 meet.

Equatoris the imaginary line that encircles the

middle (the waist) of the earth. It is equidistant from the North and South Poles.

Northern Hemisphere is all the area north of the equator

Southern Hemisphereis all the area south of the equator

Temperate Zonesare the areas between the North Pole

and the Tropic of Cancer and areas between the Tropic of Capricorn and the South Poles. Here the wind normally blows from west to east, and is called Temperate Winds.

Temperate Zones

Tropical Zonesare areas between the Tropic of Cancer

and the Equator in the north and between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer in the South. Here the wind normally blows from east to west, and called Trade Winds.

Tropical Zones

Tropic of CancerAn imaginary line 23 degrees north of the Equator that encircles the earth.

Tropic of CapricornAn imaginary line 23 degrees south of the Equator that encircles the earth.

North Poleis the top of the earth. The true north. This is where Arctic is.

Magnetic Northis the direction all compasses point to.

South Pole is the bottom of the earth. This is where

Antarctic is.

Continents are large masses of land

Archipelago

a number of islands surrounded by water

Cape

a projection of land into water

Elevation

the height of land above the sea level

Islands

bodies of land surrounded by water

Isthmus

a narrow strip of land between two large bodies of water

Mountains

elevated terrestrial masses that are peaked and serrated

Plateau

Elevated terrestrial mass that is flat

Peninsula

Large projection of land into water

Volcano

Elevated terrestrial masses that spew lave and other material when active

Oceansare large

bodies of water. Oceans make up of 2/3 of the earth’s surface.

Bay

body of water that protrudes into land

Gulf

Large bodies of water that protrude into land

Fjords

Narrow inlets of sea between cliffs or steep slopes

Lakes

Bodies of water surrounded by land

Rivers

Streams of water that empty into the seas or oceans

Seas

Next largest to the oceans are the seas

Strait

Water passages between bodies of land

Scale

The comparative measurement on the map v.v. actual measurement

The World Map and Map

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