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Geography SkillsAdvantages and disadvantages to different types of maps

Globes and Maps

Globe: A globe is a round model of the

Earth that shows its shape, lands, and directions as they truly relate to one another.

Globes

Advantages?

Disadvantages?

Represent true land shape.

Cannot show detailed information

Difficult to carry

What is a map?

Map: A flat drawing of all or part of the Earth’s surface.

Advantages

Cartographers, or mapmakers, use mathematical formulas to transfer information from the round globe to a flat map.

Show small area with great detail

Display different types of information, such as population densities or natural resources

Transport easily

Maps

Disadvantages Distort, or change, the accuracy of shapes and distances.

Types of Maps

Goode’s Interrupted Equal-Area Projection

Robinson Projection

Mercator Projection

Winkel Tripel Projections

Helpful to compare land area among continents.

Minor distortions. Mostly accurate. Poles look flattened.

Land shapes good! Size or distance bad. Good for sea travel.

Good overall view of the continents’ shapes and sizes. Land areas are not as distorted near the poles as they are in the Robinson projections

Latitude vs. Longitude

Latitude: Imaginary lines that run east to west around the globe

Known as parallels divide the glove into units called degrees

Equator is in the middle

N and S

Longitude: Imaginary lines that run north and south

Also known as meridians

Prime Meridian is 0*

E and W

180* is the international date line

Absolute Location is a combination of the two.

Hemispheres