Question

State the essential features of a map.

Answer 1

There are six essential features of a map:

1. Title: It indicates the subject of the map. e.g, distribution of natural vegetation, water bodies, climate, etc.
2. Scale: It denotes the relationship between map distances and actual ground distances.
3. Directions: It refers to the cardinal directions, i.e., North, South, East and West. Conventionally, a map is aligned with the North towards the top.
4. Key or Legend: It explains the meaning of the symbols that are used in the map.
5. Conventional Signs or Symbols: Signs or symbols used on a map refer to the graphic language that has evolved through centuries of research and use. They had their origin as simple pictograms that gradually developed into the conventions now generally used. These symbols are used to represent different objects, such as roads, railways, rivers, canals, mountains, oceans, etc.
6. Grid System: It is a network of lines that help in pinpointing the location of a place on a map. Usually, a grid is formed by lines of latitude and longitude.