Geography Information

Map Elements

In this activity you will:

►Learn about the elements of a map: latitude, longitude, the hemispheres, directions, time zone, scale, and map legends.

►Write a paragraph describing the parts of a map. Tell the function of each part in reading a map.

►Latitude and Longitude

►The earth is divided into lots of lines called latitude and longitude.

Lines

►Longitude lines run north and south.

►Latitude lines run east and west.

►The lines measure distances in degrees.

Where is 0 degree?

►The equator is 0 degree latitude.

►It is an imaginary belt that runs halfway point between the North Pole and the South Pole.

►The prime meridian is 0 degrees longitude. This imaginary line runs through the United Kingdom, France, Spain, western Africa, and Antarctica.

Hemispheres

►By using the equator and prime meridian, we can divide the world into four hemispheres, north, south, east, and west.

Compass

►A compass is a tool

that helps the user

know what direction

one is headed.

►On a map, a compass

or a compass rose

helps the user locate

these directions.

Compass Rose

►The cardinal directions are north, south, east, and west.

►The intermediate directions are northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest.

►They help describe the location of places in relation to other places.

►The needle on a compass is magnetized to point to the earth's north magnetic pole. Thus with a compass, a person can roughly tell which direction they are headed.

►There are four major or cardinal directions on a compass- north, south, east & west. In between are the directions northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest.

Scale

►Maps are made to scale; that is, there is a direct connection between a unit of measurement on the map and the actual distance.

For example, each inch on the map represents one mile on Earth. So, a map of a town would show a mile-long strip of fast food joints and auto dealers in one inch.