PRINCIPLES OF

CARTOGRAPHY
GLS362

TOPIC 1

Introduction to Cartography
 LESSON OUTCOME
At the end of this topic, student will be able to:

1 2 3
Understand Describe the Define the
the definition history of basic
of cartography elements of
cartography map
 DEFINITION:
What Is Cartography?
Cartography
- can be defined as an “Art, science and
technology of making maps together with their
study as scientific documents and works of art”.
(International Cartographic Association,1973).

Cartography is
- “the part of conveying of geospatial information
by means of maps”.

Cartography is
- “the making and study of maps in all their
aspects”.
 Who Is Cartographer?

Person who making maps and applying

cartographic principles in their artwork.

responsible for map designing and produce

map for map users.

must have a strong cartographic skills,

adequate data, sufficient instruments and
suitable map selection.
 What Is On A Map?
• Cultural features
• Roads, lakes, buildings, rivers, contours,
etc.
• Numeric data
• income, population data (census data),
etc
• Physical Features
• Geology, landuse, forestry, soils,
vegetation, landcover etc.
 History Of Cartography
• Cartography dates back thousands of years to a time before paper, but the main
visual display principles were developed during the paper era
• Historically, the origins of many national mapping can be traced to the need for
mapping for “geographical campaigns” of infantry warfare, for colonial
administration and for defense
• Until 18th century, most maps are general maps and charts
• From late 17th century, thematic maps began to appear
• The growth of modern cartography since19th century related with the
inventions of photography and computers
• Although the military remains a heavy user of mapping, such territorial
changes reflects more interplay of economics, political and historical
considerations.
• The time frame over which events took place is also much more rapid – more
maps produced as mapping technology expands.
• The earliest extant world map is a
Babylonian clay tablet from the
sixth century B.C., on which Earth is
shown as a flat circular disc
surrounded by ocean and several
mythical islands.
• An map made in Ancient Egypt with
an estimated date to 3200 B.C.
showing the trace of gold workings
in Egypt. The map, now in Turin,
depicts gold workings around the
time of King Seti I (1350-1205 B.C.).
• The earliest printed map made in the • Map of Hecataeus (about 500 B.C.)
South Song Dynasty showing east of ancient Greece by an empirical
part of China in the modern history. approach, relying on exploration and
travel instead of pure geometry alone
• Ancient Chinese topographical map • The earliest paper map made in the
(200B.C.) A silk map in the ancient West Han Dynasty, almost at the
tombs. same time when the paper itself was
invented by Chinese.
• The world-view of the Roman Empire
(400A.D.) A circular earth disc, set in
a surrounding ocean, became the
dominant interpretation of the Middle
Ages cartographer.
• The map constructed in the 15
century from Ptolemy's written
directions, descriptions, and reflects
geographical knowledge of the
known world in the 2nd century A.D.
• The perceived shape of France before
and after the 1693 survey by Picard
and La Hire
 Current Map Applications

Android
navigation

3D map
 Scope Of Cartography

Data

Map Map
User Scope

Map
Maker
 Data Map
Usually collected by 3rd parties: - Map is a representation or
 geodesist abstraction of geographic
 photogrammetrists, reality.
 Geographers
 statisticians.
- Map can be said to show 3
Collection of data varies on its
purposes: dimensions (3D) of the
 surveying, phenomena represented which
 data input from enquiry / are nature or the value of the
statistics, objects and their true location.
 photo interpretation
(photogrammetry)
 satellite images
 digitized maps/census data.
 Map Maker/Cartographer
• Have to study this information before be able to represent the
information correctly in map format.

Map User/Reader
- Person who will derive certain information from map, however
those information will never overlap/coincide with the original
information.
- If the cartographers interpret the original information incorrectly,
then map reader may read out the data in the wrong way which
resulting wrong conclusions about phenomenon.
 DEFINITION
• Defined as a;
WHAT IS MAP?
- representation,
- usually on a flat surface,
- of a whole part of an area.

• describe digital or analog (whether in softcopy or hardcopy form) to shows

geographic information using well-established cartographic
conventions.

• Both paper and digital maps have important role in -

economics,
- environmental
- social activities.
 Types Of Map :
1. Reference maps
A topographic map is a detailed and accurate
graphic representation of cultural and natural
features on the ground. Eg : Topographic maps
(produced from national mapping agencies)

2. Thematic maps
A specific geographic themes. A map
designed to convey information about a single
topic or theme
(ex: population census statistics, soil types and climate zones)
Thematic Map
Topographic Map
 Basic purposes of maps?
i. To reduce the spatial characteristics of a
large area and putting it in map form
to make it observable.
ii. Carefully designed instrument for
Why we need maps?
- recording,
- calculating,
- displaying,
- analysing
- understanding the interrelation of
things.
iii. To communicate spatial information
(more efficient than linear communication)
• To communicate information through
spatial ways
• To store geographical information.
• To serve mobility and navigation
needs.
• For analytical purposes, e.g.
Measuring and computing.
• To summarize statistical data to
assist forecasting and spotting trends.
• To visualize invisible.
• To stimulate spatial thinking.

iv. Most fundamental function is to bring

the things into view
 Limitations Of Maps.
• can leads to miscommunications accidentally or on
purpose. (Ex: incorrect use of symbols can
convey the wrong message to users)

• are often created using complex rules, symbology, and

conventions. (it is difficult to understand and
interpret by the untrained viewer )
 Basic Elements of Maps

Legend Scale

Title Direction /
Indicator

Map
Map body Elements Inset /
Overview map
 Basic Elements of Maps
• Symbols and a legend
• Scale
• Direction (indicated by the north
arrow)
• Map grid or coordinate system
• About the map (date created,
title, author, source information)
 Map Body
- The principal focus of the map
- Some map consists of comparative map; hence it needs
2 or more bodies.
- Should filled with symbology appropriate to its
purposes.

Title
- Used to inform the reader about it contents
Legend
- Item represented on the
map and how they are
symbolized .

Scale
- Provides an indications of the size of objects and
distances between them
- Scale is a ratio of one unit on the map; represents some
multiple value in the ground
- Types of scale :
1. Numerically
2. graphically
3. text.
Direction / Indicator
- Can be displayed either in:
- Grids (Network or parallel and perpendicular
lines on a map.)
- Graticules (Network of longitude and latitude
lines on a map to their true location on the earth)
- Directional symbols ( north arrow ).

Inset/overview of map
- May be used to identify the map
and to inform the reader about its
content.
Map metadata
- Contain many other types of information
includes:
- Map projections,
- Date of creation,
- Data sources
- Authorship.
Map Layout
 Map Layout
Use of white space

Fill white space with map title,

legend, scale bar, source, projection
information, north arrow

Space map elements with equal white

space
 Why Use Symbols On A Map?

• Words alone would clutter the

map.
• Symbols can help organise the
information.
• Symbols can depict complex
ideas or things.
• The legend or reference explains
the symbols.