VOCABULARY AND DEFINITIONS Geography - Maps

Compass Rose Looks a bit like an arrow and shows the directions north, south, east, and west

Map Key Helps the reader understand what the symbols on the map mean

scale Shows the distance on a map

latitude The lines on a map that run east and west. It measures the distance north and south of the equator.

longitude Lines that run north and south. They measure distance east and west of the prime meridian.

Locator map Is a smaller map in the corner of a larger map

Political Map Shows information such as - the location of state or national border, or the location of capital cities

Physical Map Shows physical characteristics of a place – such as mountains and valleys

Relief The different colors on a map that show high and low places.

Elevation map Another map that shows physical characteristics of land area

elevation The distance or height of land above sea level

region An area of land that shares physical or human characteristics

Historical map Provides historical information: dates or symbols to show where battles were fought

Population-density map Shows the number of people living in an area

Satellite map Shows a region as it looks from space