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Contrast to spatial scale. A small-scale map cover large regions, such as world maps, continents or large nations. In other words, they show large areas of land on a small space. They are called small scale because the representative fraction is relatively small. Large-scale maps show smaller areas in more detail, such as county maps or town ...
In most European countries, the largest scale topographic map series is a 1:25.000 scale series. Notable exceptions are Austria (1:50,000) and Finland (1:20,000). Many non-European states limit the largest scale of their map series, usually to 1:50,000 scale, frequently due to the large size of the country covered (and hence for financial reasons).
Cartographic scale or map scale: a large-scale map covers a smaller area but embodies more detail, while a small-scale map covers a larger area with less detail. Operational scale: the spatial extent at which a particular phenomenon operates. E.g. orogeny operates at a much larger scale than the formation of a river pothole does.
A globe is the only way to represent the Earth with constant scale throughout the entire map in all directions. A map cannot achieve that property for any area, no matter how small. It can, however, achieve constant scale along specific lines. Some possible properties are: The scale depends on location, but not on direction.
In geography, different geographic (scale) levels are distinguished: The local scale level relates to a small area, usually a city or municipality; The regional scale level relates to a larger area, usually a region, state or province; The national scale level relates to a country; The continental scale level refers to a continent;
Despite its obvious scale variation at the world level (small scales), the projection is well-suited as an interactive world map that can be zoomed seamlessly to local (large-scale) maps, where there is relatively little distortion due to the variant projection's near-conformality.
Many large-scale maps use conformal projections because figures in large-scale maps can be regarded as small enough. The figures on the maps are nearly similar to their physical counterparts. A non-conformal projection can be used in a limited domain such that the projection is locally conformal. Glueing many maps together restores roundness.
Although the scale statement is nominal it is usually accurate enough for most purposes unless the map covers a large fraction of the Earth. At the scope of a world map, scale as a single number is practically meaningless throughout most of the map. Instead, it usually refers to the scale along the equator.