Geographic Data and Map Projections

Flashcards for Geography Review

Cartogram

A map that uses the distortion of area to represent a variable.

Choropleth

A map that uses different colors or shading to represent statistical data.

Dot Density

A map that uses dots to represent the occurrence of a phenomenon.

Isoline

A map that connects points of equal value (e.g., elevation).

Proportional Symbol

A map that uses the size of symbols to represent the magnitude of a phenomenon.

Spatial Patterns

The arrangement of phenomena on the Earth's surface.

Absolute

Refers to the exact location of a place or feature

Relative

Refers to the location of a place or feature relative to other places or features.

Clustering

Grouped or bunched together.

Distance and Direction

How far apart things are and in what direction.

Dispersal

Appears to be distributed over a wide area.

Elevation

Using levels of how high/low something is located on the land.

Map Projections

Distortion in shape, size, distance, and direction.

Robinson Map

Shape and directions of countries are fairly accurate, but greatly distorted toward poles.

Goode Map

Continent sizes are accurately portrayed, but directions and distances aren't accurate.

Gall Peters Map

Shape of countries especially near the equator are distorted.

Mercator Map

Everything is distorted in small amounts