Topographic maps are used to understand the shape of the land, whether a slope will fail, how glaciers are changing, and geologic history, among many other things. What is topographic map and its uses? Topographical maps, also known as general purpose maps, are drawn at relatively large scales. These mapsRead More →
For USGS topographic maps, 1:24,000 is the scale most often used. Maps based on metric units use a scale of 1:25,000, where one centimeter equals 0.25 kilometers. You’ll find most of the United States mapped at the 1:24,000 scale, with only a few exceptions. Which map the topographic map orRead More →
On the Mercator map, Africa – sitting on the equator, reasonably undistorted – is left looking much smaller than it really is. … The distortion is largest near the poles: Greenland, which looks about the same size as the whole of Africa on the Mercator, is a classic example. WhyRead More →