What is a map? Why is a map important? What are the different elements of a map?

A map represents the world as a whole or a part of it, usually on a flat surface. It is thus a visual representation of the Earth on a flat surface.

Importance of Maps

1. They are a source of knowledge and accurate information about places, for students and teachers.
2. They are also used by navigators and travellers to find the direction to their destinations.
3. They are used by town planners for town planning.
4. They show a lot of detail and are very informative. They may show political divisions, physical features, natural vegetation or population distribution with appropriate colours and symbols. They are, therefore, useful for administrators and the military.

Elements of a map

There are five elements of a map — title, scale, the North Line, grid and legend.

1. Title: The type of information that a map shows determines its title.
2. Scale: A scale is the proportion or ratio between the distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground, or the Earth's surface.
3. North Line: This symbol (↑N) indicates the north direction and helps us to find the direction of any place on the map.
4. Grid: Grids are regular horizontal and vertical lines. They help in finding places on the map. The horizontal lines are northings while vertical lines are eastings.
5. Legend or index: It includes the various symbols and colours used in a map and helps us to interpret the information being provided by the map.