Map Types and Productions - APHG

Thematic Maps

Maps that show spatial aspects of information or of a phenomenon. Think "themes"
*Includes choropleth, dot distributions, graduated symbol, isoline maps, and cartograms

Political Maps

Maps that show human-created boundaries and designations, such as countries, states, cities, and capitals.

Physical Maps

Maps that show natural features, such as mountains, rivers, and deserts.

Road Maps

Maps that show highways, streets, and alleys.

Plat Maps

Maps that show property lines and details of land ownership.

Locator Maps

Maps that illustrate the exact location of an event or place,
can often be used in books or other texts.
*Often uses symbols.

Choropleth Maps

Maps that use colors, shades, or patterns to show the location and distribution of spatial data.

Dot Distribution Map

Maps used to show the specific location and distribution of something, with each dot representing a specific quantity.

Graduated Symbol Maps

Maps that use symbols of different sizes to indicate different amounts of something. Larger sizes indicate more of something and smaller sizes indicate less.

Isoline Maps

Maps that use lines that connect points of equal value to depict variations in data. Distance between the lines indicates a change.

Reference Maps

Maps designed for people to refer to for general information about places. They show locations.
*Includes political, physical, road, plat, and locator maps

Cartogram Map

Maps where the sizes of places are shown according to some specific statistic.

Mercator Map

Purpose:

Navigation

Strengths:

Directions shown accurately

Shapes are relatively the way they appear on the globe (near the equator)

Distortion:

Size of land masses is distorted

Peters Map

Purpose:

Illustrating spatial distribution

Strength:

Size of land masses are accurate

Distortion:

Shapes of land masses are inaccurate, especially near poles

Conic Map

Purpose:

Best suited for regional mapping

Strength:

Size and shape are both close to reality

Distortion:

Longitude lines converge at only one pole (directional issues)

Robinson Map

Purpose:

General use

Strength:

No glaring distortion

Oval shape appears more like a globe

Distortion:

Area, shape, size, direction all slightly distorted (more pronounced near poles)