Cartography - What Is A Map?

A map is a two-dimensional representation of the spatial distribution of phenomena or objects. For example, a map may show the location of cities, mountain ranges, rivers, or types of rock in a given region. Most maps are flat, making their production, storage, and handling relatively easy. Maps present their information to the viewer at a reduced scale. They are smaller than the area they represent and use mathematical relationships to maintain proportionally accurate geographic relationships between points. Maps portray information by using symbols that are identified in a legend.