A map, unlike a photograph does not four thousand years ago.

These were
CHAPTER

show any real features. A map is used by imprinted on clay tablets. The Sumerians
1 Reading and Analysis of Maps geographers to show features that we
consider important – for example:
temples owned large tracts of land and they
had to keep account of income from the
distribution of rainfall, soil types, lands. That is why they tried to keep records
population, languages spoken by people, of the lands with the help of maps.
crops grown, markets, schools etc. A map Babylonians (also people of present
maker may also leave out many features day Iraq) made some of the earliest ‘world
visible on a photo, like individual houses, maps’; that is the world as they thought of
trees, etc. A map actually is a model of a it. See below one such map drawn on a clay
place giving those features that the map tablet about 2600 years ago. They imagined
maker considers to be of importance. the world as a round disc. The inner circle
Photo may not be able to show you how had all the cities (the small circles),
much it rains in a place, or how hot it gets villages, rivers, marshes and mountains
there or what languages people speak there they knew about. The city of Babylon was
– All these can be shown on a map. That is shown in the middle. Beyond the inner
why people make different kinds of maps circle was ‘bitter river’ or salt water ocean
depending upon the purpose. You will now in which were seven triangular islands.
see some examples of maps made in early
times and how they depended upon the
purpose.
Maps Down the Ages
Maps have a long history behind them.
Fig 1.1: Photograph showing Africa, Europe and Americas
Some of the earliest surviving maps were
made by Sumerians (present day Iraq) about
You may recall making maps
in Class VI and learning about
maps which show heights. By now
you must have studied a large
number of maps relating to
Fig 1.3: Babylonian clay tablet
different places. Can you say what
is the difference between a map Around the same time Greek
and a photograph of the same place geographers like Anaximander and
taken from the skies? For example Hecataeus of Miletus (now in Turkey) and
look at this photograph (Fig 1.1) Herodotus, also prepared world maps by
and a map (Map 1) relating to the arranging places from east to west and north
same place. Can you point out all to south. Their ideas were similar to the
the similarities and differences Babylonians who believed that the earth was
Map 1: Map of Africa, Europe and Americas Fig 1.2: Sumarian clay tablet
between the two? a round disc surrounded by ocean river.
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In order to help the sailors the maps interior places. Thus on the map of Asia you Around the same time the Chinese too
also had to be accurate. The Greeks tried can see India shown much smaller than Sri were preparing maps as their emperors
to make the maps accurate with the help of Lanka as the sailors were more familiar wanted to know about the villages and towns
longitudes and latitudes. Let us see how this with it. under their control. These maps showed
was done. They tried to find out a set of China at the centre and Europe, half-way
places where the midday occurred at the
same time. They were joined with a line
from the north to the south – this was the
‘Meridian’ (Noon line) or Longitude. They
also tried to draw Latitudes by joining
places which had equal length of shadow at
noon. With the help of these two kinds of
Map 2: World after Hecataeus lines they drew a grid on the map and
located all places from east to west and
They travelled widely and wrote down north to south along these lines. Preparing
descriptions of the land and people and these lines accurately was not an easy task
their histories they saw or heard about. and it took about 2000 years to finally get
They prepared maps based on these travels correct longitudes and latitudes. But
and descriptions. Though these maps have locating places on maps with the help of Map 3: Map by Al Idrisi
not survived, historians have tried to these two lines became very useful for These books of Ptolemy were used by round the globe, depicted very small and
recreate them with the help of their travelers and sailors who could orient the the Arab scholars and sailors to prepare horizontally compressed at the edge.
descriptions. direction of their travel to their maps. One famous Arab map maker was Al Significantly, Africa was also mapped from
As you can see they placed Greece in destinations. The sailors in turn helped the Idrisi who prepared a world map for his king an Indian Ocean perspective, showing the
the middle of the map. They also divided map makers by telling them about the places in 1154. The map, with legends written in Cape of Good Hope area, which Europeans
the world into three continents: Europe, they visited. Arabic, while showing the Eurasian
Libya (Africa) and Asia, all of which were Ptolemy was one of the most famous continent fully, only shows the northern
separated by the Mediterranean sea geographers of the ancient world who part of the African continent and lacks
(Map 2). The Greeks and after them the prepared detailed maps of the world using details of the southern Africa and Southeast
Romans were greatly interested in making these lines. However these maps were all Asia.
maps and knowing about places near and far. lost for a long time. There are many interesting things about
They wanted to conquer the world, build You may have noticed that most of this map. Firstly, it shows the south towards
colonies in far off places and trade with these maps give more correct information the top of the map and north towards the
them. You may have heard of Alexander, a of Europe and nearby countries. In fact they bottom (map 3)! It places Arabia
Greek king who tried to conquer the whole usually place Greece or Rome in the middle prominently in the centre of the map.
world and came as far as India some 2300 of the map. They also give more correct Can you guess why? Can you locate
years ago. Similarly, Roman traders had information about places visited by sailors India and Sri Lanka (again shown
established trading stations on Indian coasts and traders, on the coasts of various much bigger than it is)?
to which they came by ships. Maps were countries, but they did not know about the Map 4: Map of Da Ming Hun Yi Tu of China (1389)
useful and necessary for them.
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would not visit until much later. See the map Around 1480s Europeans rediscovered reached India. All this also helped to prove Mercator devised a method for showing the
of Da Ming Hun Yi Tu, painted on 17 sq. Ptolemy’s books (but not the maps) and that the Earth was not a flat disc but a sphere correct shapes and directions of continents
m. of silk in 1389 for the emperor of China. were stunned to learn about his accurate like a ball. but with distortion of sizes and distances.
Can you identify India, Arabia and description of location of places. They In the 16th century, Holland emerged This method (called Mercator ’s
Africa in Map 4? prepared new maps based on them. You can as a major trading power. With the rise of projection) is still used to show the world.
see one such map here. Holland’s maritime supremacy and trade, In what ways do you think the sailors
Before they discovered the books of
Ptolemy, European map makers were their map makers made major breakthrough influenced the making of maps in
greatly influenced by religious ideas of the in their work. The father of Dutch early times?
Bible and made maps of the world to cartography was Gerardus Mercator (1512-
94), who examined the previous works and Why do you think the map makers
represent those ideas. See below a map
did much original work on maps. placed their own country in the
made around those times.
Mercator’s map projection is famously middle of the map?
known Mercator Projection. Most of the Why do you think that in Idrisi’s map
world maps we use are based on his the top side points to the south while
projection. in the maps prepared by the Greeks
it pointed to the North?

Map 6: Map based on mathematical calculations

Colonisation, Explorations,
prepared after reading the books of Ptolemy Military use and Map
making
Unlike the map shown above this is
based on actual mathematical calculations When European powers
of distances and directions. colonised the entire continents
During the 15 th century, Ptolemy like North and South Americas,
inspired a new enthusiasm in the non-Arabic Africa, Australia and Asia they
world and some important schools – the needed to know about the places,
Italian school, the French school, the their climate, crops, mineral
English school, the German school grew Map 7: World map by Gerardus Mercator in 16th century resources and about the people
Map 5: Model of the world according to Bible up. Fortunately it happened to be an age of living there. They sent scientific
Projection in a Map
discovery and exploration which expeditions consisting of map makers and
This really was a model of the world As you know the world is like a ball,
popularised map and its importance. The others to explore the different parts of the
according to the Bible. It is surrounded by but when we draw it on paper we cannot
Arabs had blocked the trade route to India world and prepare maps. These teams
oceans, and is divided into three continents show the curvature and have to show it as
across the Mediterranean sea. West fought their way into interiors of
– Asia, Europe and Africa. Of these Asia flat. This inevitably causes some distortion
European traders (from Spain, Portugal, continents crossing mountains, deserts and
was considered the largest and the most – either the shape of the continents and the
Holland and England) began to search for rivers, fighting local peoples to get the
important as it had Jerusalem which was the distances will get distorted or things will necessary information. This information
birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is therefore other routes to India. Thus Columbus went get placed in wrong directions. Sailors and the maps enabled the colonial powers
also shown on the top. Europe and Africa westwards and discovered America while needed correct directions and shapes so to establish their rule over these areas and
are shown at the bottom and in a smaller Vasco da Gama went around Africa and that they could identify the landmarks. also exploit their resources.
size.
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the use of satellite imagery has transformed development, setting up new industries,
the nature of mapping. We not only have building roads, hospitals and schools with
very accurate and detailed maps, but it is the help of maps.
no longer possible for governments to Can you suggest how maps can be used
keep them as secrets. This information is to plan setting up new schools and
available to all people for study and use colleges? What different kinds of maps
today. would have to be studied for this?
Do you think this free access to maps Maps are also used by companies to
is a good thing? plan their business work. For example, a
Why do you think the colonial powers mobile telephone company that wants to
invested so much money to prepare spread its network in an area will need maps
detailed maps? of villages and towns and about hills and
Find out about the lives of some of forests to set up microwave towers.
the great explorers like David Living- If someone wants to choose an
stone, Stanley, Amudsan etc. Find out appropriate place to set up a hospital
who sponsored their expeditions and what kind of maps would be useful
why. to her? Make a list.
Use of Maps in our Times Why do you think maps are useful to
As we saw above, maps were made and armies in times of war?
used for a variety of purposes: for trade,
Reading Thematic Maps
sailing, for conquests and colonising and
Map 8: An Early map of India You saw above that maps do not just
for fighting wars. In our own times maps
When the British established their the heights of various places. This survey are used extensively for planning, show the names of places and distances
power in India, they began making detailed was completed by Sir George Everest. It is development of countries. This requires between them. They can also be used to
maps of the interiors of the country. They this survey which established that Mt planners to identify the problems faced by show different kinds of information, like
established a department called ‘Survey of Everest is the highest peak in the world (it a region and its resources etc. This is done the nature of the terrain (hilly, rock, plain
India’ to survey the entire country and was named after George Everest who with the help of maps. For example we can etc), economic activities of people,
prepare maps. James Rennel was appointed measured its height for the first time using make a map of regions which have very languages spoken, literacy etc. Usually a
the ‘Surveyor General’ and he prepared one scientific methods). The survey began in little drinking water. We can compare this map focuses on only one aspect. Such maps
of the first survey based maps of India. Chennai because all heights are measured map with maps showing water resources – are called ‘Thematic Maps’. There are for
Look at the map of India (Map 8) created from the sea level. rainfall, groundwater and rivers. Based on example, Political Maps which give
during the British period and compare it Maps were also in great demand during this comparison we can decide what is the information about mandals, districts,
with a current map. times of war as armies and air forces best way to make drinking water available states, countries, capitals etc. Some are
In 1802 William Lambton began one needed them. Thus map making received to all the people of the region – by sinking Physical Maps which show mountains,
of the most important geographical surveys great impetus during the first two World tube wells, or building dams across streams rivers, plateaus etc. Some are ‘Land Use
in the world starting from Chennai in the Wars. Many governments tried to keep such or making tanks (cheruvus) or bringing Maps’ which show how people use land.
south and culminating in the Himalayas to detailed maps secret so that enemies could water from distant places in large pipes. For example some parts of village lands
determine the length of a longitude and also not use them. However, in our own times Similarly, we can plan agricultural may be used for pasture, for raising food

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crops, for raising cash crops like cotton, while some parts may be reserved for residence, Density of Population year - 2011 (Census - 2011)
schools, places of worship and shops. Some parts may even be kept as waste or fallow land State Density State Density State Density
or for water reservoirs. When we make a map to show the use of land in that village we have Andhra Pradesh 308 Jammu & Kashmir 56 Nagaland 119
to use different kinds of symbols, colours and patterns to show each of these separately. Arunachal Pradesh 17 Jharkhand 414 Orissa 269
Assam 397 Karnataka 319 Punjab 550
Given below is the colour code used to represent the land cover and land use in maps.
Bihar 1102 Kerala 859 Rajasthan 201
Colour Land cover/ Land use Chhattisgarh 189 Madhya Pradesh 236 Sikkim 86
Goa 394 Maharashtra 365 Tamilnadu 555
Dark Green Forest Gujarat 308 Manipur 122 Tripura 350
Light Green Grasslands Haryana 573 Meghalaya 132 Uttarakhand 189
Himachal Pradesh 123 Mizoram 52 Uttar Pradesh 828
Brown Land useful for agriculture West Bengal 1030
Yellow (Topographical maps) Cropped area In the map below, colour the states according to
Dark Grey Mountains the density of population as given in index:
Index
Light Grey Hills
0 - 250 501 - 750
Yellow Plateaus & Swamps
251 - 500 751 - 1000
Light Red Wastelands
1000 above
Light Blue Tanks, Rivers, Canals, Wells etc.
Dark Blue Seas and Oceans
White Places where minerals are available
Black Boundaries
In representation of various socio-economic aspects/ details we can use the technique
of map patterns like points, symbols, lines etc. Quantitative data can be represented by dot
method, circles, graphs, charts etc. In stipulated thematic maps shading can be used as
pattern.
Make a Population Map!
For example, draw a sketch map of your school showing different class rooms; find out
the number of students in each class and put one small line(_) for every five students of the
class. This is your population map of your school! Remember to write in the key box how
many students each line represents.
Population can also be shown on a map through shading. These are called population
density maps. First we estimate the total number of people living in a place. Then we measure
the total area of the place and then divide the number of people by the area of the place. For
example if the area of a village is ten square kilometres and one thousand people live in it, Lakshadweep
the population density of the village is hundred per square kilometre. By using the same
method we can find out the density of population of entire states. See the following table
which gives the population density of different states of India. Map 9: India - Density of population
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Conventional symbols on maps

lines. You read about them in
While map makers usually use their own symbols, some symbols are used conventionally Class VII. Contours are lines on
by most map makers. In India we usually follow the conventions used by the Survey of map joining places of same
India. See for example the conventional symbols given below the ‘Topo sheets’ of Survey height – measured from the sea
of India. level. In other words all places
on a contour line will have the
same height from the sea level.
Contour lines are also called
isolines – lines joining places
with some common features.

Fig 1.4: Thankfully they did not create symbols

for these! Contour Lines

Representation of relief features on

maps
Relief feature means the high and low
places on the surface of the earth. The main
relief features are: hills, valleys, plateaus,
plains, river basins, rocky and sandy places.
Since the maps are flat we cannot show the
heights on them. We therefore use a special Fig 1.6: Hills
symbol for this called contours or contour

Fig 1.5: Map with intensity of patterns

( Isopleth map ) Fig 1.7: 'V ' shaped valley

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 Contour lines are usually drawn at fixed
intervals of height such as 20 metres, 50
metres, or 100 metres. Uniform contour
interval is maintained on a given map.
Contour lines give an indication of the
slope of the land as well as the elevation
above sea level. Where contour lines are
far apart, it represents a gentle slope, closer
lines represent steep slope and uniformly
spaced lines represent uniform slope.

Fig 1.8: Gentle slope In this book there are different

Thematic maps i.e. Relief and Drainage
(p.14), Mean Annual Rainfall (p.15),
Soils (p.16), Forests (p.55) and
Minerals (p.65). Now make a table to
identify different information given for
your district from the maps mentioned
above.

Atlas

An atlas is a collection of maps –

usually arranged according to different
Fig 1.9: Steep slope themes. Open the School Atlas and look at
the list of all the maps shown in it. You can
find out much useful information about
different places and use it to imagine the
life of people living there. Can you imagine
the life of people living in Arunachal
Pradesh based on the information on the
same themes from the Atlas?

Fig 1.10: Plateau

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 Key words
1. Projection 2. Symbols 3. Geographer

Improve your learning

1. Study the School atlas carefully by looking at various thematic maps.
2. Do you think the use of maps has changed between the time of ancient Greeks and
now? In what way is it similar and different?

In ancient Greece Now

Similarities
Differences

3. Many people believe that making of maps by the Colonial powers was a more powerful
tool for exploitation and control of the colonies than guns. Do you agree?
4. In what ways were the maps prepared by the British different from the one made by
Ptolemy or Idrisi?
5. Choose two places of your choice from the Atlas and find out about them from at
least five different thematic maps. Then compare the life in the two places – what
would be similar and what would be different?
6. Read the text of page number 8 about the “Use of maps in our times” and answer the
following question:
What are the various purposes for which maps are used in our times?

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