Reference maps, also known as navigational maps, show various aspects of locations. Some provide extra information or details necessary to plot out travel routes. Atlases provide a way to have many reference maps from around the world on hand at one time. Other publications may feature maps that specifically cover certain locations, for in-depth planning as well as facts.
Physical Maps and Orthophoto Maps
Physical maps give information about the land surface of an area. Mountainous regions and low-lying regions are represented, as are bodies of water like a lake or river. Techniques to convey the differences include using several colors. Much like physical maps, orthophoto maps show land variations. These types of maps employ color photography images to present changes without lines or other illustrative methods. Uniform scale photos that make up the representation allow for corrections that occur with terrain changes.
Political Maps
A political map offers a view of governing boundaries like cities, states, counties or countries. Use of these maps is beneficial for various reasons, such as understanding voter districts or looking into divisions between two adjacent countries. The difference in areas can be seen through the use of various colors. Stars usually mark capital cities. Latitude and longitude lines also feature on these maps, to pinpoint exact locations.
Road Maps
Road maps basically allow people to see where they are going when traveling on any type of road. This kind of map provides information on every way to reach a destination, from interstate highways to local streets. Key information details distances between locations as well as symbols indicating airports, tourist attractions, hospitals and colleges. Some maps also include railroad tracks and paths for bicycling and hiking. Remember that at any given time, certain roads may be under construction or unpaved.
Topographic Maps and Relief Maps
Topographic maps show the terrain of an area, including shapes and elevations. Man-made creations like buildings are a part of the map, in addition to mountains, lowlands, lakes, rivers and even vegetation. Scales for these types of maps run from 1:24,000 up to 1:250,000. Lines far apart from each other indicate flat terrain while lines close together show mountainous areas. Relief maps are another option similar to topographic maps. These maps are available in shaded or raised forms. In a shaded relief map, areas such as mountains are dark while lowlands have a lighter color. Raised relief maps use a three-dimensional plastic to show features. Some maps vertically go up to 3 inches.
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