Maps Class 6 Geography Notes | DailyHomeStudy

Maps

A map is a representation or a drawing of the earth’s surface or a part of it drawn on a flat surface according to a scale.
It is impossible to flatten a round shape completely.

Atlas

When many maps are put together we get an Atlas.
Atlases are of various sizes, measurements drawn on different scales. Maps provide more information than
a globe.

PHYSICAL MAPS

Maps showing natural features of the earth such as mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, oceans etc. are
called physical or relief maps.

POLITICAL MAPS

Maps showing cities, towns and villages, and different countries and states of the world with their boundaries
are called political maps.

THEMATIC MAPS

Some maps focus on specific information; such as road maps, rainfall maps, maps showing distribution of
forests, industries etc. are known as thematic maps.

Components of Maps

Maps are drawings, which reduce the entire world or a part of it to fit on a sheet of paper.
Maps are drawn to reduced scales.
This reduction is done very carefully so that the distance between the places is real.
It can only be possible when a small distance on paper represents a large distance on the ground.
Therefore, a scale is chosen for this purpose.

2. Sclae

Scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.

3. Small scale map

When large areas like continents or countries are to be shown on a paper, then we use a small scale. It is called a small scale map

4. Large scale map.

When a small area like your village or town is to be shown on paper, then we use a large scale that is 5 cm. on the map shows 500 metres only on the ground. It is called a large scale map

*Large scale maps give more information than small scale maps.

DIRECTION

Most maps contain an arrow marked with the letter ‘N’ at the upper right hand corner.
This arrow shows the north direction.
It is called the north line.
When you know the north, you can find out other directions, for example east, west and south.

North, South, East and West are called cardinal points
Other four intermediate directions are north-east (NE), southeast(SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW).

SYMBOLS

It is not possible to draw on a map the actual shape and size of different features such as buildings, roads, bridges, trees, railway lines or a well.
They are shown by using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures and lines
These symbols give a lot of information in a limited space.
With the use of these symbols, maps can be drawn easily and are simple to read.
If you don’t know the language of an area and therefore cannot ask someone for directions, you can collect information from maps with the help of these symbols.
Maps have a universal language that can be understood by all.
There is an international agreement regarding the use of these symbols. These are called conventional
symbols.
Various colours are used for the same purpose.

SKETCH

A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale.
A rough drawing is required of an area to tell where a particular place is located with respect to other
places.
A rough drawing is drawn without scale, and is called a sketch map.

PLAN

A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale.
A large-scale map gives lot of information, but there are certain things which we may sometimes want to know
for example the length and breadth of a room, which can’t be shown in a map.
Drawings drawn to scale called a plan.

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