Cartography and map reading

(GeES 2042)

By: wubshet A. (M.sc.)

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 1.1. unit one Concept and Definition of cartography

• Cartography has always been closely associated with

Geography and Surveying.
• Its recognition as a distinct discipline is relatively recent.
• Numerous definitions of Cartography have appeared in the
literature.
• Earlier definitions tend to emphasize map making while more
recent definitions also include map use within the scope of
Cartography

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 Selected Definitions of Cartography

• "The science of making any map, embracing all phases of

work from surveying to map printing“ (COUNO,1949).

• "Cartography ranged from the study of information, collected

by "surveyors" - using that word in its widest observational
sense - to the final reproduction of maps and charts at any
scale, on any subject and by any means’’ CSB NCGRS,1965).
• "Cartography is the theory, technique and practice of map
making and map use“ Kolacny

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 Cont..
• Cartography is viewed as being concerned with a
particular form of communications process which relies
on graphic images, i.e. maps, to convey information about
data and the spatial relationships between them,

e.g. a geographic environment.

• The cartographer is the map maker. The map is the
communications medium.

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 Cont..
• The data may be about towns, temperatures, bedrock, people,
crops, water depths, algae growth patterns, or the stars.
• The map represents the spatial relationships among the
individual pieces of data.
• The map user "reads" the map and interprets its information
content in the context of his or her own objectives and
knowledge of the environment or spatial pattern which the
map describes.
• Cartography is the art and science of making maps.
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 1.2 History of Cartography

• Maps have been produced and used for several thousand years.
• The earliest surviving examples from western civilization
come from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
• Egyptian geometers made cadastral maps showing property
boundaries so that these could be re-established after the
annual flooding of the Nile River.

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 Cont..
• In Mesopotamia, maps were "drawn" on clay tablets and
depicted the Mesopotamian world at a variety of scales .
• Eastern cartographic traditions also have ancient roots with
Chinese maps dating from 6000years ago.
• Theories about the shape of the Earth and the development of
coordinate systems by ancient Greek philosophers paved the
way for systematic mapping of the Earth's surface.

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 Cont..
• More recent phenomena that contributed for the development of
Cartographic knowledge include the following:
 European exploration
 Invention of the compass
 Invention of the theodolite
Development of aerial photographs and photogrammetric
developments in computer and communication technologies.
 Launching of Earth observation satellites
The use of geographic positioning systems (GPS)
The introduction of GIS
Better internet access etc

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 1.3. The Scope of Cartography

 Cartography is the art, science and technology of map making and

map use, and the study of maps in all its aspects.
 We can liken cartography to a drama played by two actors, the map
maker and map user, with two stage properties, the map and the data
domain(all potential information that might be put on a map.
 The map maker selects information from the data domain and puts in
to a map format.
 The user then observes and responds to this information.
 Thus, there are four processes in cartography

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 Processes of Cartography
1. Collecting and selecting the data for mapping
2. Manipulating and generalizing the data, designing and
constructing the map
3. Reading or viewing the map
4. Responding to or interpreting the information

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 Con…
• In order to master these processes, a cartographer
must be familiar with all mapping activities, such
as (geodesy, surveying, photogrammetric, remote
sensing, and GIS).
• A skilled cartographer must also know a great deal
about human thought and communication
(cognitive science) and the disciplines associated
with the environmental features being mapped.
• It takes knowledge, skill, and experience to express
in map form the essential characteristics of
environmental data.
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 Cont..
 Geographers are the primary users of maps, but they aren’t the
only ones.
 People in the sciences, engineering, and humanities also see
the map as a valuable way to organize and express ideas.
 Cartographers must be sensitive to the mapping needs of these
diverse fields

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Cont..

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 1.4.Cartographic Communication System and Process

• Effective use of maps requires understanding of the nature of

maps and the mapping process while good map design
requires understanding of how the maps will be used.
• The communications model also serves to emphasize that map
use is not simply the reverse of map making but requires a
distinct set of skills.
• Cartographic communication is a special form of graphic
communication which differs from verbal communication.
Verbal communication is sequential.
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 Cont..

• In verbal communication, ideas are presented in a

sequential fashion, allowing the writer or speaker to
control the order in which information is conveyed.
The emphasis is on parts linked by logic.
• In contrast, maps are synoptic, presenting
information in a holistic fashion. The map user
receives all of the information at once.
• Thus the map maker is unable to control the order in
which information is received except by using map
design to emphasize the most important information
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Cot..
• The separation of map use
from map making introduces
the possibility of distortion in
cartographic communication.

• Anything which interferes with

the transmission of the
information from the map
maker to the map user can be
considered as noise.

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 Cont..
• Unaided, our human senses provide a limited view of our
surroundings.
• To overcome these limitations, humankind has developed
powerful vehicles of communication such as graphics
• Today, it is customary to think of maps special form of
graphics) as vehicles of communication.
• Thus, to use maps effectively, we must understand the logic
behind the mapping process.
• Maps seem to be every where we look; in books, newspapers,
magazines, e.t.c Some are greatly detailed, others appear as
simple way- finding diagrams.
• Some show large area; others an area no longer than your back
yard.
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 Map communication

• Maps must always be viewed in the context of

communication.
• This statement implies that both map authors and map users
are parts of the process.
• Map communication (cartographic communication) process
has the following major components.
• The date field (facts from which the map author chooses to
structure the map’s message) the maps author (some one who
wish to convey a spatial message), the map (graphic
presentation of date) the map user some one who gains a
spatial knowledge by reading a map).
• More over, user’s feed back is part of the communication
process.
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