Elements of a Map
Senior 1 · Geography
Elements of a Map
Lesson 1 of 4
20 min
Figure 1 is a map of Rwanda. Before reading further, find the six orange numbers and say what each one points to. Then use the map to answer: which towns stand on the shore of Lake Kivu?
Figure 1. A map of Rwanda drawn from Natural Earth data. The orange numbers mark the six elements of a map.
Compare Figure 1 with the satellite photograph of Kigali below. The photograph shows everything the camera saw: roofs, fields, clouds and their shadows. The map shows only what its maker chose (towns, lakes, rivers, borders), uses simple symbols for them, names them, and draws them at a known scale. That selection is what turns a picture into a map.
Definition
Map: a drawing of all or part of the Earth's surface on a flat surface, as seen from directly above, drawn to scale and using symbols to show selected features. Example: Figure 1 shows the whole of Rwanda, with symbols for towns, lakes and rivers.
Definition
Plan: a drawing of a small area, such as a classroom, a school compound or a house, seen from above and drawn to a large scale so that details can be shown. Example: a plan of your school showing each classroom block and the playground.
| Kind of map | What it shows | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Topographic map | Both natural and human features of a small area in detail: relief, rivers, roads, buildings | A 1:50,000 map of the area around Musanze |
| Physical (relief) map | Mountains, plateaus, valleys, rivers and lakes, often with colours for height | An atlas map of East Africa's highlands |
| Political map | Countries, provinces, districts, boundaries and capitals | A map of Rwanda's five provinces |
| Thematic map | One topic only, such as rainfall, population or crops | A map of rainfall across Rwanda |
| Road or route map | Roads, towns and distances for travellers | A bus company's map of routes from Nyabugogo |
| Sketch map | The main features of an area drawn by hand, not exactly to scale | Directions from your home to school |
Every good map carries the same basic parts, so that anyone can read it. They are numbered in Figure 1.
| # | Element | What it does | In Figure 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Title | Says what area the map shows and what it is about | "Rwanda: main towns, lakes and rivers" |
| 2 | Frame (border) | A line around the map that marks where it ends; it keeps the map neat and holds the grid numbers | The double line round the map |
| 3 | Grid | Lines that divide the map so a place can be found exactly: latitude and longitude, or numbered grid lines | Dashed lines every half degree, labelled on the edges |
| 4 | Key (legend) | Explains every symbol and colour used | The box below the map |
| 5 | Scale | Shows how distances on the map compare with real distances on the ground | The bar from 0 to 50 km |
| 6 | North arrow (compass direction) | Shows which way is north, so that other directions can be found | The arrow marked N |
Many maps also give the source of the information and the date, so that the reader can judge whether it is reliable and up to date. Figure 1 names its source, Natural Earth.
Definition
Key (legend): the part of a map that explains what each symbol, line and colour stands for. Example: in Figure 1 the key shows that a red square is the capital city and a blue line is a river.
Definition
Title: the name of a map, stating the area shown and the subject of the map. Example: "Rwanda: main towns, lakes and rivers".
Definition
Frame: the border line drawn around a map. It marks the edge of the area shown, and the grid numbers or latitude and longitude values are written along it.
Worked example: reading Figure 1
(a) In which direction is Huye from Kigali? The north arrow points to the top of the page. Huye is below Kigali (south) and to its left (west), so Huye is south-west of Kigali.
(b) About how far is it from Kigali to Rwamagana in a straight line? Lay the straight edge of a piece of paper from the Kigali symbol to the Rwamagana dot and mark both points. Move the paper onto the scale bar with the first mark at 0. The second mark falls a little before 50 km, at about 40 km. (The true distance is about 41 km.)
(c) Between which lines of latitude does Kigali lie? Kigali is between the 1°30′S and 2°S lines, much closer to 2°S, so its latitude is a little less than 2°S (it is 1°57′S).
Important
Case study: what Figure 1 tells us about Rwanda
All five facts came from one small map. That is why the map is the geographer's most important tool.
What is a Map? Crash Course Geography #2, by CrashCourse (10 min). Watch for the point that every map is a choice: its maker decides what to show and what to leave out.
Imagine that one element is removed from Figure 1. Which one would make the map hardest to use: the key, the scale, the north arrow or the grid? Give a reason, and say what mistake a traveller might make without it.
Warning
North is not always at the top. Most maps put north at the top, but some do not. Always find the north arrow before you give a direction.
Tip
Read any map in four checks: T-K-S-N. Title (what is it?), Key (what do the symbols mean?), Scale (how big is it?), North (which way is up?).
Practice
Remember
Sources and credits
The lesson text, map, tables, worked example and practice are written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
