The maps represent any type of information that comes to mind, from the relief of the different countries and continents to the ordering of the stars in the cosmos.
Cartographic representation is almost as ancestral as human consciousness, asthe first maps date back about 5,000 years. Sources claim that Thales of Miletus (a Greek philosopher and mathematician) made the first world map, in which the world was conceived as a floating disk on the waters. From here, everything is history.
From the exciting discovery of America and the description of inhospitable territories to a GPS road trip, maps have accompanied us at all times of our personal lives and history as a society. Describing our environment allows us to move through it with ease and, therefore, a physical or digital element that contextualizes our position in a three-dimensional space is of unimaginable importance.
So, today we present the 14 types of maps that exist, with their uses and characteristics. Stay with us, because you will discover that there is a dizzying variety in the world of cartography beyond ink and paper.
- We recommend you read: “The 10 most beautiful places in the world to visit”
Types of maps: The world seen from above
A map is defined as aflat, simplified, conventional geometric representation of all or part of the earth’s surface, with a proportional similarity relationship called scale. For a map to be considered as such, it must contain the following elements: title, source, compass rose (symbol of the north), scale and legend (the meaning of the symbols used to represent features on the map).
The creation of a map is a titanic process both logistically and artistically, as it must present a clear and readable format at first glance, but also be able to represent complex facts that are not always observable by the human eye.
With all these elements and considerations, selective and representative constructions of reality can be formed. Below, we show you the 14 types of maps and their characteristics.
1. According to the scale of work
In general, any map can be categorized according to the scale of work (what it covers) or the purpose of it. In the first category, we find the following types.
1.1. Small-scale maps
However unintuitive its name may be, a small-scale map is one thatrepresents large areas of the earth’s surface. A cartographic element is considered small-scale when it is less than 1:100,000. These types of maps are used to represent countries, hemispheres, continents or the whole earth.
1.2. Large-scale maps
In this case the scale is larger, that is, less ground is covered in the cartographic representation (at a scale greater than 1:10,000). From a scale of 1:2,000 they are considered flat, because the sphericity of the earth must not be taken into account when capturing the space. These maps are used to represent small plots, such as a city.
2. According to the purpose
Of course, a geopolitical map has little to do with another that represents the elevation of the terrain. Depending on the purpose, we can define two types of maps.
2.1. General maps
Topographic or general maps are those thatrepresent at a certain scale everything visible in a territory. These try to encompass in their lines and lines the most important elements that make up a certain section of the earth’s surface: communication routes (roads and paths), territorial planning, rivers and mountains. Examples of this are the Atlas or, closer to us, the google maps.
2.2. Thematic maps
In this case, the objective of the map isto collect information about a specific parameter or phenomenon. Whether they are flora, fauna, climate, population numbers or economy, this type of cartographic elements focus on a specific type of information. It should be noted that all types of maps that we will see from now on fall into this category. Within it there are many types:
2.2.1. Administrative or political map
As its name suggests, it represents the limits imposed by spatial planning policies, for exampleborders, capitals and regions within a country. An example of this can be the map of autonomous communities of Spain.
The political map most often shows the territory of specific sovereign nation states, which are separated from each other by lines representing the boundaries. The interior space of each of them is colored differently, to better contrast each territorial entity visually.
2.2.2. Relief map
It is a type ofmap in three dimensions, because through plastic elements, it is able to represent the terrain (mountains and depressions) of a specific place in a clear and visible way for the user. You could say that it is an intermediate point between a model and a two-dimensional map.
2.2.3. Biodiversity distribution maps
Whether for an animal or plant species or for several, this type of maps generally color the distribution area of living beingsfrom sightings and censuses in natural environments. Many of these maps are generated with the help of the general population, since sightings of a specific species can be sent to specific portals, which process and represent the information in future opportunities.
2.2.4. Time map
It is the one we find every day when we finish the news on television, or when we want to know if it is going to rain before leaving home. These mapsrepresent the most relevant meteorological phenomena: minimum and maximum temperatures, relative humidity, fronts and other relevant parameters.
2.2.5. Contour map
It represents the relief of the territory in two dimensionsthrough a series of curves. It is extremely useful for geologists and professionals who describe the composition and physical characteristics of the environment.
In general, we can get a mental idea of the operation of this type of maps in the following way: in a series of concentric circles, the smallest and most internalized of all will represent the “peak” of the mountain, while the one that is located farther will be its base.
2.2.6. Map of railways
As niche as it may seem, this type of map is essential to understanding the transportation of materials and other economic goods on a large scale. These cartographic elements represent the railway networks, stations, stops and otherinfrastructures that are of interest to the user.
2.2.7. Map of ocean currents
This type of maps represent, by means of arrows that form circular currents, the movement of the waters in the oceans. They are essential to understand climate phenomena on a global scale, since the sea largely conditions precipitation and other meteorological phenomena.
2.2.8. Statistical map
In this concept we can encompass any study that comes to mind based on statistical inference that requires a visual representation. For example, the percentage of people who vote for a political party according to the territory, or the number of patients who present with a disease in a specific place and time and how they are distributed in a region. In other words, with this mapwe represent how the statistical figures vary depending on the region.
2.2.9. Geological map
This type of map, on a topographic plane, represents the exposed surfaces of the Earth according to the geological age in which they were formed. By means of a color code, mountains and other elements of the relief are clearly stratified based on a time scale. Of course, we can affirm that with this mapwe are collecting the very age of our planet.
2.2.10. Hydrographic map
We have all faced this type of maps in primary and secondary education, becauselearning the rivers, tributaries, seas and lakesis a task included in almost any educational program. From the deltas to the smallest tributary, all this information is collected on the hydrographic map.
A map for each parameter
Although we have made an extensive review of the types of maps, first grouping them into four large groups and then traveling through the different parameters they represent, we have left a lot of variety in the pipeline.
Road maps, geomorphological, historical, linguistic, numerical, pictorial, urban, rural, tourist and many other varieties: we do not forget you. Whether by what they represent, the material they are made of or the method they use to capture the data, we can say that, without a doubt, there are many more than 100 types of maps.
As we have seen, the tendency of the human being to compartmentalize information is also applied in cartography. From the distribution of a beetle in a specific terrain to an atlas with all the relevant information of the Earth, the maps describe any phenomenon we can imagine.
References:
- Cartographic concepts, Government of Spain (Ministry of Development). Collected on October 30 in https://www.ign.es/web/resources/cartografiaEnsenanza/conceptosCarto/descargas/Conceptos_Cartograficos_def.pdf
- Cartographic representation: what is a map? Geografía.us.es. Collected on 30 October at http://www.geografia.us.es/web/contenidos/becarios/materiales/archivos/representacion_cartografica.pdf
- Types of maps: wikipedia. Collected on October 30 in https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapa
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.