Types of Maps

This is a topographic map of Georgia. A topographic map is very detailed and includes contour lines. Boundaries, such as state lines are clearly shown. Topographic maps also show the characteristics seen on Earth's surface, such as cultural elements like buildings and roads, but also natural formations such as rivers and forests.







Cloropleth maps are highly used and made to be easily understood. Cloropleth maps present a specific data over different areas or regions and are characterized by different patterns of a specific color. Generally information in these types of maps are reported in units. For example, this is a Cloropleth map that displays population per square mile.




An Isarithmic map depicts continuous information, such as weather. There are two types of Isarithmic maps, Isometric, and Isopleth. Isometric maps could be described as 3 dimensional, and is usually used to show city formations. Isopleth maps are also three dimensional, but are used to display elevation, air pressure and measurements.











Dot density maps are quite common and easily understood. They are used to show the difference in the density of a trend over different areas. There are two common types of Dot Density maps, including one-to-one density maps that uses exactly one dot to represent one piece of data. One-to-many Dot Density maps uses one dot to represent a larger unit of data.