Map scale is a fundamental concept in cartography that tells you how much the area shown on the map has been reduced from its real-world size.
Based on the provided information, map scale refers to the relationship (or ratio) between distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the ground.
Think of it as a ratio that connects a measurement taken on the map to the actual distance it represents in reality. This ratio is crucial for understanding the level of detail the map provides and for making accurate measurements.
For example, as stated in the reference:
- On a 1:100000 scale map, 1cm measured on the map equals 1km measured on the ground.
This means that every unit of measurement on the map represents 100,000 of the same units in the real world. A scale of 1:100,000 indicates that the real world has been shrunk 100,000 times to fit onto the map.
Understanding the map scale allows users to:
- Calculate real-world distances between points shown on the map.
- Compare the level of detail on different maps (larger scale maps show more detail for a smaller area, while smaller scale maps show less detail for a larger area).
In essence, the map scale is your key to translating the distances you see on a flat piece of paper or screen into the vast distances of the real world.
