When using lines of latitude and longitude, one must have a map. To create maps, cartographers project the round Earth onto a flat surface, making a map projection. There are four different types of maps that geographers use to find locations.
Click each map projection below to learn about its function as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
The Winkel Tripel projection
Robinson projection
Goode’s Interrupted Equal-Area projection
Mercator projection
These various types of maps are very useful to geographers searching for the location of a particular place. In fact, “location” is the first theme of the five themes of geography, which will be discussed in the next lesson.
Think You Got It?
Can you identify which map should be used in each situation? Answer the questions below to find out.
Which map should you use?
If you are traveling by yacht from Homer, Alaska, to Sitka, Alaska, which projection map should you use?
These kinds of maps are very useful for sea travel.
These maps provide good balance between the size and shape of land areas.
This kind of map generally distorts distances.
If you wanted a map where the lines of latitude run straight and the map has only minor distortions, which projection map would be the BEST one to use?
This projection map is very similar to the Robinson projection map.
This projection map does have some minor distortions.
This projection map looks like a globe cut into pieces and laid flat.
Which projection map gives you the BEST idea of the sizes and shapes of landmasses?
Most general reference maps use this projection.
The polar areas are flattened on this projection map.
Distances are not very accurate on this map, but the size and shape of landmasses are extremely accurate.
If you wanted to use a general reference map, which map would be the BEST one to use?
This map shows the true size and shape of landmasses, but distances are usually distorted.
Most maps you see in reference resources use this type of projection map.
This map increasingly distorts size and distance as it moves away from the Equator.
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