Download Types of Maps - Alpine Public School

What is Geography?
• Geo - geo= land
• Graphy= study/ chart
• The study of the Earth, including land, places,
and people
• The study of geography led to the creation of
maps
Location
• Location is a particular place or position.
Location can be absolute or it can be relative.
• Absolute: is precise, more exact
• Relative: gives only a general idea of where
something is located
Location Examples
• Coordinates, street addresses, cities
– (40 N, 74W; 100 Main Street, Trenton, NJ; Oahu,
Hawaii; Phoenix, Arizona)
• Alpine is West of Norwood; Hawaii is an island
in the Pacific Ocean
Place
• A Place has describing characteristics that
define a location. These characteristics can be
physical or human.
• Physical: features that naturally occur on the
Earth. This also includes animal and plant life
• Human: features that are man-made, such as
architecture, or elements of culture
Place Examples
• Physical: rivers, beaches, mountains,
waterfalls, caves, etc.
• Human: Eiffel Tower, a straw hut, Stonehenge,
your home, etc.
Human-Environment Interaction
• Involves how people use, adapt, or modify
their environment. This can have positive or
negative effects
• Adapt vs. Modify:
– Adapt- when you change yourself to fit your
environment
– Modify- when you change your environment to fit
you
Examples
• Adapt- wearing shorts & a t-shirt in hot
weather
• Modify- using irrigation systems to water
crops in areas of dry land/ no rain
• Positive- fertilizing crops to feed more people
• Negative- polluting clean air and water
sources
Movement
• When people, ideas, goods, fads, etc. are
brought from one place to another or are
exchanged between places
Movement Examples
• One Direction first became popular in Britain,
then in the US
• Internet began in California and is now used
globally
Regions
• A group of places with at least one common
characteristic. Regions can be formal or
vernacular
• Formal: Officially marked boundaries- can be
for continents, countries, towns, cities, etc.
• Vernacular: No official boundary lines, but
instead are understood, or are “perceived”
Region Examples
• Formal : New York City, the USA, Europe
• Vernacular: “The South” or “the Middle East”
• In your notes:
– Think About It: Which theme do you think is most
important? Why? Explain.
Types of Maps
Political Maps
• A political map shows boundaries
• Examples: countries, states,
counties, etc.
Physical Map
• A visual representation of an area,
usually includes landmarks, cities,
major highways, bodies of water, etc.
Economic Map
• An economic map can show
industry, agriculture, or where
wealth or poverty are located
Topography Map
• A topographic map shows elevations
or high and low altitudes found in a
country or region
• Examples- mountains, cliffs, valleys
Climate Map
• A climate map shows temperatures
and climates found within a country
or region