TOPIC FIVE: MAPS AND MAPWORK

By Prof. Ogoti Robert Maxwell

Definition of Terms
a) A picture is an image of an actual object represented either as drawing,
painting or photograph.
b) A plan is a representation of an object, a feature or a place on a flat surface
like a piece of paper.
c) A map is a representation of the whole or part of the earth surface on a flat
surface like a piece of paper.
d) Map work is the ability to extract information from a map.

Types of maps.
a) Topographical map.
- It is one which shows a selected number of physical and human features and their
positions on the earth surface.
- It is drawn by specially trained people called cartographers.
- It is drawn from air or aerial photographs and ground surveys.

b) Atlas/ projected map.

- It is a collection of many maps bound in one volume, resembling a book showing
different physical features and human activities.

c) Sketch/ outline map.

- It is one which is roughly drawn not to scale to provide specific information.

Characteristics of a good sketch map.

 Be neat and clear.
 Have a title.
 Enclosed in a frame.
 Have compass direction.
 Have a key.

Uses of maps.
i. They show direction and location of places and phenomena on the earth surface.
ii. They show human and economic activities like settlement patterns, land-use,
communication network, mining areas, forestry and fishing.
iii. They indicate physical features like relief and drainage patterns.
iv. They show weather trends like rainfall distribution, temperature and climatic regions.
v. They show political and administrative boundaries hence useful for land ownership.
vi. They are useful in military strategies to pin-point the enemy’s position.
vii. They are used to find distance between places.
 Marginal information on a map.
- These are information provided in the margin of a map.
- They include;
 The title
 The scale
 The compass direction
 The key/ legend
 Map sheet number and series
 Date and edition
 Grid systems
 Publisher and copy right
 Conversion table
 Index to adjoining sheets

a) The title
- It is written at the top indicating the information contained in a map.
e.g. Name of the map/ sheet name – TAITA HILLS or BUSIA
Title of the map/ sheet title – Kenya 1:50,000
_ East Africa 1:50,000

b) The scale
- It is usually shown on the map as a representative fraction e.g. 1:50,000 and a linear
scale e.g.
0 1 2 3 4 5 km


c) The compass direction

- It is given in the form of a diagram i.e.

Magnetic north True north

*

Grid north

Magnetic
declination Grid declination

- Magnetic declination/ variation is the angular difference between magnetic north

and true north e.g.
Busia map - 2⁰ 21’
Taita hills map - 0⁰ 30’

- Grid declination is the angle between grid north and true north.
 d) The key/ legend
- It contains convectional signs and symbols used on maps to represent both natural and
human-made features in a given area. Not all features in the key are found in the map.

e) Map sheet number and series

- It is written at the top right hand side of a topographical map e.g.
Busia map – series i.e. Y731 (D.O.S 423)
Sheet i.e. 101/1

f) Date and edition

- It provides the map history i.e. when it was surveyed and printed.
- It is given together with map edition, sheet number, series and the publisher e.g. Busia
map – Edition 5- D.O.S. 1970

g) Grid systems
- The numbers for the grid eastings (vertical grid lines) and northings (horizontal grid
lines) are shown at the edge of the map i.e. the inner margin.

h) Publisher and copy right

- In Kenya, topographical map is drawn and published by either Directorate of overseas
surveys (D.O.S) or the survey of Kenya.
- Copyright symbolised by © is a law that protects the owners of published works.

i) Conversion table
- It is a scale for converting height from metres to feet and vice versa.

j) Index to adjoining sheets

- It is a box containing nine squares. The centre square represents the map sheet you are
looking at.
How to identify a map
i. Map series e.g. Y73(D.O.S 423)
ii. Map sheet e.g. 115/1
iii. Map edition e.g. 1971
iv. Map name e.g. YIMBO

Assignment.
Study the map provided and use it to answer the following questions.
1. What is the name of the map provided?

2. What is the title of the map provided?

3. What type of map is provided?

4. Write the series and sheet number of the provided map.

 5. State two types of scales used in the map.

6. What is the magnetic declination of the provided map?

7. Giving the sheet number, name an area bordering the provided map to the;
 West
 South East

8. Using the key, name two roads found in the mapped area.

9. Name two districts covered by the map.

MAP SCALES.
- A scale is the ratio between the distance on the map and the distance on the actual
ground.
Types of scales.
a) Statement scale
- It is expressed in words e.g. 1cm represent 1km

b) Linear scale
- It is a line sub-divided into small equal units of either kilometres or metres e.g.
0 1 2 3 4 5 km


c) Representative fraction (RF) scale/ Ratio scale

- It is a scale where distances on the map are expressed as a fraction of the actual
distances on the ground e.g. 1
 or 1: 50, 000
50, 000

Conversion of scales
1. Converting statement scale to RF scale.
e.g. Convert 1cm represent 2km into R.F
Solution
1km  100,000cm
2km  2km X 100,000cm
 = 200,000cm
1km
Therefore, RF = 1
 or 1: 200,00
200, 000

2. Converting RF scale to statement scale.

 - e.g. Given RF as 1

50, 000
1km  100,000cm
??  50,000cm
50,000cm
 X 1km = 0.5km or ½ km
100, 000cm
Therefore, statement scale = 1cm represent ½ km or 0.5km
3. Converting linear scale to RF scale.
e.g. Given 0 3 6 9 12 15 km

Here, 1cm represent 3km
1km  100,000cm
3km  3km X 100,000cm
 = 300,000cm
1km
Therefore, RF = 1
 or 1: 300,000
300, 000

4. Converting RF scale to linear scale.

- e.g. Given 1
 or 1: 400,000
400, 000
1km  100,000cm
??  400,000cm
400,000cm
 X 1km = 4km
100, 000cm
= 1cm represent 4km
Therefore, linear scale =
0 4 8 12 16 20 km


5. Converting linear scale to statement scale.

e.g. 0 4 8 12 16 20 km

Here, 2cm represent 4km
Therefore, 1cm represent 2km

Sizes of scales.
i. Small scale.
- It is used on a map when showing a large area of land on a small size of paper.
- It ranges from 1: 250,000 and above.

ii. Medium scale.

- It fall between small scale and large scale maps.
- It ranges from 1: 25,000 to 1: 250,000

iii. Large scale.

- It is used on a map when showing a small area of land on a given size of paper.
- It ranges from 1: 25,000 and below.

Uses of scales.
 Used to measure distances on maps.
 Used to calculate areas on maps.


Measuring of distances on maps.

- We use;
 A pair of dividers.
 A paper edge.
 A piece of string

Calculation of areas on maps.

1) Regular shapes.
 Triangle- ½ b h
 Rectangle- l x w
 Square- l x l
 Circle- π r 2
 Trapezium – ½ (a+b)h
 Rhombus- b x h
 Parallelogram- b x h

2) Irregular shapes
 Complete squares = 12
Incomplete squares = 22
Area = complete squares + incomplete squares
2
= 12 + 22/2
= 12 + 11 = 23 square units

NOTE: The methods used in estimating areas of irregular shapes include;

 The use of rectangles and triangles.
 The use of strips.
 The use of grid squares (on 1:50,000 maps)

“END OF TOPIC FIVE”