Map Skills Vocabulary

Compass Rose

• Shows direction on a map

• Indicates the scale of a map

• Represents geographical features

• Displays the map legend

Cardinal Directions

• North, South, East, West

• Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, Northwest

• Up, Down, Left, Right

• Forward, Backward, Left, Right

Coordinates

• Set of numbers that give a location on a map

• A type of map that shows elevation

• A method of measuring distance

• A system for organizing data

Political Map

• Shows boundaries of countries or states

• Displays topographical features of an area

• Illustrates population density

• Represents climate zones

Physical Map

• physical features on the earth's surface

• political boundaries and territories

• climate zones and weather patterns

• historical events and timelines

Map Scale

• measurement on a map that shows distance

• a tool used for drawing maps

• a type of map that shows elevation

• a scale used for weighing objects

Grid

• Lines of Longitude and Latitude on a map

• A type of map projection

• A grid system for urban planning

• A network of roads and highways

Map Symbols

• colors, lines, shapes, and symbols that represent information on a map

• only colors used in maps

• lines that connect different locations

• shapes that indicate elevation changes

Prime Meridian

• Line of latitude that separates the Northern and Southern hemispheres

• Line of longitude that separates the Eastern and Western hemispheres

• Imaginary line that marks the equator

• A major circle of the Earth that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation

Longitude

• Vertical lines on the globe, also called meridians

• Horizontal lines on the globe, also called parallels

• Lines that measure distance north and south of the equator

• Imaginary lines that connect the North and South Poles