Geographic Skills/Mapping Flashcards
Elements of a map: What does BOLTS stand for?
B: Border
O: Orientation
L: Legend
T: Title
S: Scale
Cartograms definition
Presents statistical data by altering size of country based on variable
Thematic/Choropleth Maps definition
Focuses on one theme or feature, uses colours or symbols to show features.
What do population pyramids visualise?
Age and Sex
Pyramid population shape identification
- Wide case
- Narrow tip
- Similar to triangle
Pyramid population shape meaning
- Developing country
- High death rate
- High Birth Rate
- Low life expectancy
- Youthful population
Beehive population pyramid identification
- Wider base at bottom
- Base similar to middle
- Tapers off at the end
Beehive population pyramid meaning
- Transitional countries
- Low death rate
- Declining birth rate
- Increasing life expectancy
Coffin population pyramid identification
- Narrow base
- Bulge in middle
- Tapered tip
Coffin population pyramid meaning
- Developed countries
- Low death rate
- Low birth rate
- High life expectancy
- Ageing population
Close up photo use
Shows specific characteristics of a feature, usually plants and animals
Ariel photography use
Shows distribution of natural and human features over large area of earth’s surface, taken from air or high point.
Oblique photography definition
Ariel photo taken by pointing camera at oblique angle (between 3 and 90 degrees), producing a perspective view
Difference between low oblique and high oblique?
Low: horizon not visible
High: horizon visible
Oblique photography use
Makes observations of how natural and human features are distributed across the landscape
Ground photography Use
Used to identify isolated features
- Shows relationships between physical and human features (i.e. landforms and vegetation or transport networks)
Ground photography definition
Photos taken at ground level with camera pointed horizontally.
3 ways scale is written:
1) As statement/written sentence (e.g. 1cm on map represents one km on ground)
2) As a line scale
3) As a ratio (e.g. 1:100000, always same unit unless specified but can be simplified, 1000m = 1km)
- Number on left = distance on map
- Colon = represents
- Number on right = distance on ground
How to find straight line distance on map?
- Use ruler to measure distance between two points
- Convert length to distance on map using scale
How to find curved line distance on map?
- Use curved piece of paper
- Straighten it out and measure distance
- Convert length to distance on map using scale
How to find area of irregular shape?
- Estimated by counting number of grid squares that feature covers
- Count ones covered by more than half of feature, ignore others
- Answer given in km^2
Density meaning
Number of people or objects per unit area, usually 1km^2
- Worked out by counting features located within one specific area (e.g. density of buildings in AR2837 is 3/km^2)
Latitudes/Longitudes definition
Imaginary lines which run along earth used to pinpoint locations
Latitude key features
- Horizontal lines
- Centre: equator
- Splits into Northern/Southern hemisphere
- Helps understand climate/warmth
Longitude key features
- Vertical lines
- Centre: Prime Meridian
- Splits into Eastern/Western hemisphere
- Helps understand time zones
Finding Longitude/Latitude?
- Lat coords first (N/S), then Long coords (E/W)
- Include N, E, S, W (similar to area references)
- E.g. 34°S 152°E
- If coordinate is directly on centre lines at 0°, then N, E, S or W in not required
