Types+of+Maps



What Are Physical Maps?
Some physical maps use colors and shading to show elevation. **Elevation** is how high the land is above sea level. Always look at the map key. It tells you what colors stand for the different elevations. Physical maps make it easier to see the make up of the land.  **Physical Map of China**  China has the largest population in the world. There are over one billion people living there. However, only fifteen percent of the land is good for farming.
 * Physical maps** show important natural features, such as mountains, rivers, and lakes. The natural features that make up the earth's surface are called **landforms**. A famous landform in China is the Gobi Desert. It is in north China just a few miles west of Beijing. Other landforms are plains and plateaus. A **plain** is a flat, rolling lowland. A **plateau** (pla-**toh**) is also flat, but stands higher than the surrounding area. It rises steeply from the surrounding land.

What Are Political Maps?
 **Political Map of Egypt**    There are two main general purpose maps. They are physical maps and political maps. Political maps show how people divide land into countries, cities, or states. Physical maps show landforms and elevations.  Africa has 15% of the world's land. But Africa has only 12% of the world's population. Landforms, such as deserts, and weather conditions limit where people can live.
 * Political maps** show how people have divided up the earth's surface. These maps show state and national boundaries, capitals, and large cities. Political maps use different colors to show different countries. A capital city is usually marked with a star or a star inside a circle. Always read the map title to learn what the map is about. Then look for grid marks that show latitude (horizontal) and longitude (vertical) lines. These lines show the location of the map area on the earth. Find the map key. The key tells you the meaning of the symbols or colors used on the map.

What Are Special Purpose Maps?
The map below shows where people live in Africa. Most people live in areas with water and land to grow crops. They also need land and water routes for travel and trade. Different colors on the map show how many people live in different areas.  **Population Density Map of Africa**
 * Special purpose maps** show specific kinds of information. They can show climates, different languages, how land is used, or populations in a country. Special purpose maps show you how things are distributed, or spread out.
 * Population density** is the number of people who live in a particular area. The population, the number of people, is not spread evenly across a country or a continent. Some areas have more people. Some areas have fewer people. Population density maps show you that information.

Read more: [|What Are the Different Types of Maps and Graphs? - What Are Physical Maps?, What Are Political Maps?, What Are Special Purpose Maps?] []