Chapter One

Introduction
1.1. Geography: Definition, Scope and Themes
1.1.1 Meaning of Geography
 Most people perceive that geography is

 simple recognition of facts, knowing about place names,

mentioning countries with their respective capital cities, map
making, and map reading.

 Some others have been utilizing the traditional definition which

is description of the earth (Geo –means earth and Graphos –
means writing).

 However, Geography is much beyond mere memorization of facts.

• A number of definitions have been given by different scholars of the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
• Eratosthenes (276-196 BC) – Geography is the description of the
earth.
• Alexander Von Humboldt (1769-1859) - Geography is a
synthesizing discipline to connect the general with the particular
through measurement, mapping, and a regional emphasis.
• Concise Oxford Dictionary (1964) - Geography is the science of the
earth’s surfaces.
• Hartshorne, R. (1899-1992) – Geography is a branch of knowledge
that is concerned with the provision of an accurate, orderly and
rational description of distributions on the surface of the earth.
• Yeates, M. (1968) – Geography is a science that is concerned with the
rational development and testing of theories that explain and predict
the spatial distribution and locations of things and phenomena on the
surface of the earth.
• Each of these definitions includes the idea that geography studies the
surface of the earth.

 It is difficult to forward a definition acceptable to all

geographers at all times because:

 the dynamic nature of the

discipline
 the changes in its scope and
method of study
 it is a universal and versatile
field
 it is a broad and all
encompassing field
 Geography is the scientific
study of the Earth that
analyses;

spatial and temporal

variations of physical,
biological and human
phenomena, and

their interrelationships
and dynamism over the
surface of the Earth.
 1.1.2. The Scope, Approaches and Themes of Geography
• Scope means the range and variety of contents which are included in a
subject or fled of study.

• The scope of Geography is the surface of the Earth, which is the

very thin zone that is the interface of;

• Atmosphere- it includes all aspects of air composition surrounding

our planet.

• Earth's atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen,

and one percent other gases.

• protects us from UV, cosmic; Supplies O2 and CO2; regulates

temperature on earth ; hydrological cycle possible; radio & TV
communication; transmit sound
• Lithosphere- it is the solid layer of rocks that covers the entire
surface of the planet.
– It is the outer layer of the earth which is rocky and rigid.

– It extends to almost 100 km of depth.

– composed of both the crust and the portion of the upper mantle.
• Hydrosphere- it includes all the bodies of water, i.e., oceans, rivers,
lakes and others.
– water in its liquid, gaseous (vapor) and solid (ice) phases.
• Biosphere - this contains all living organisms in and on the earth’s
surface and it’s intimate relation to the other three spheres.
• Anthroposphere- part of the
environment that is made or
modified by humans for use in
human activities and human
habitats.

• Includes our culture,

technology, built environment,
and associated activities.

• It is sometimes also referred as

technosphere.
• The major areas that geography focuses on are:
 the earth, its position in the universe and its movements;
 the different physical features that constitute the earth’s surface, the
forces that cause them, their variations from place to place and their
changes over time;

 the different relationships between human beings and their natural

environment. Also, the interdependence and the impact that each has on
the other;

 the conditions of the lower part of the atmosphere and the subsequent
weather and climatic conditions, together with their spatial distribution
and variation;

 the materials that make up the earth and its diverse landforms;
 major economic activities of humans and impacts on the environment.
• Geography can be approached by considering two continuums:
– human-physical continuum
– topical-regional continuum
Human-physical continuum

• Geography can be divided into human and physical geography.

 Human geography deals with spatial and temporal aspects of human

activities and culture. It studies the distribution and influence of human
aspects of our world, including cultures, population settlement, economic
activities and political systems.
 Physical geography focuses on the geographical attributes of the
natural environment.
 It studies the distribution of the natural features of the world, such as
climate, landforms, soil, vegetation, surface drainage systems, water
resources and animals.
 Topical-regional continuum

• The topical (systematic) fields of Geography view particular

categories of physical or human phenomena as distributed over
the Earth. It is also called general geography.

– It is concerned with laws, rules and generalizations that have no

regional basis or regardless of geographic location.

– It involves the investigation and analysis of the distribution of a

single phenomenon throughout the world or over a predefined
geographical space.
– Example- Earth’s landforms, its climate, its political divisions, or its
agricultural characteristics, distribution of flora and fauna, human-nature
relationships, human culture, population, dynamic socio economic and
political aspects.
• Regional geography is concerned with the associations within
regions of all or some of the elements and their
interrelationships.

– It focuses upon a particular area or region.

– it investigates and analyzes the distribution and association of

elements that give the region its distinctive character.

– The area may be continental in size, or it may be subdivided

into units such as countries, states, and counties.

– Example- Geography of Africa, Geography of Ethiopia.

 Themes of Geography
• Geography has five basic themes.
i) Location- is position on the Earth's Surface.

• Location is a basic prerequisite to higher level geography, just

as addition and subtraction are to advanced mathematical
understanding and competency.

Can be two types

• Absolute location- the location of a place is defined by its

latitude and longitude.

• Provides a definite reference for locating a place or its exact

address.

• Every site has a unique location on planet Earth (or in space).

• Relative location - refers to locating a place relative to
other geographic features such as neighboring countries,
big water bodies, big land mass etc.

 It can be described in two different ways.

a) Vicinal location- expressed in relation to

neighboring countries.

b) Natural location- described in relation to large land

mass and/ or large water bodies.
ii) Place: the physical and human aspects of a location.
• It is associated with :

– toponym (the name of a place),

– site (the description of the features of the place),

– situation (the environmental conditions of the place).

• Each place has its unique characteristics expressed in terms of

landforms, hydrology, biogeography, pedology, characteristics human
population, distinct human cultures.

• Place aids geographers to compare and contrast places on Earth.

 How do you tell your place for someone who doesn’t even know
the town?
iii) Human-Environment Interaction

• It involves three distinct aspects:

• Dependency refers to the ways in which humans are

dependent on nature for a living.

• Adaptation relates to how humans modify

themselves, their lifestyles and their behavior to live

in a new environment with new challenges.

• Modification allowed humans to “conquer” the world

for their comfortable living.

iv) Movement

• It entails to the translocation of

human beings, their goods, and their
ideas.
– The physical movement of people
allowed the human race to inhabit
the world.

– Transport of goods from one place to

another.

– Flow of ideas that allows the

unification of the human civilization
and promotes its growth.
• V) Region- an area of a larger territory having distinctive

characteristics that distinguishes itself from adjacent units of

space and can be created for many purposes.

• Three types of region

• 1. Formal region- It is a geographical region that share

homogenous characteristics on the bases of selected criteria such as:

 physical phenomena (topography, soil, climate, vegetation)

 cultural elements (language, religion, economy).

 economic structures (per capita income, production styles, level

of unemployment, agriculture, industry)

• 2. Functional (nodal) region- are defined on the basis of stable
functional interactions often based on market interrelations,
transport, labor markets, etc. of city and surrounding areas.

• It is composed of heterogeneous units such as cities, towns &

villages which are functionally inter-related.

• 3. Vernacular (perceptional) region:- They reflect a “sense of

place,” but rarely coincide with established jurisdictional borders.

• These regions vary from person to person. They emerge from a

person’s informal sense of place. It can be a person’s mental map.

• It can be viewed as how people think about or perceive a region

based on factors that may not reflect the truth.
• They have ill-defined or no formal boundaries but are understood
in mental maps of the world.
• Example- What do you think of when you hear the phrase “Little Italy”?
• What words, phrases or mental images come to mind?

• 4. Planning (Programming) regions- It is a region where designing

and implementation of the development plan is possible for tackling
of regional problems.
• It may be formal or functional or a combination of both, such
regions display coherence of economic decisions
• It may be based on administrative convenience-emphasis uniformity
and convenience.
 1.2. Location, Shape and Size of Ethiopia and the Horn
 The Horn of Africa:

 a region of eastern Africa

 eastern most extension of Africa

 The absolute location of the Horn of

Africa is bounded within:

 lie in the GMT+3 time zone.

 is a narrow tip that protrudes into
the northern Indian Ocean.
 includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
and Somalia.
 Ethiopia is the largest while Djibouti
is the smallest in terms of size
• their cultures have been linked.

• there is also great diversity among

them.

• The Horn contains such diverse

areas like:
– The highlands of Ethiopia
– The Ogaden desert
– The Eritrean and the Somali
coasts.
– the Red Sea, the Gulf of
Aden, and the Indian Ocean.
 It has long been in direct contact
with the Arabian Peninsula and
southwestern Asia.
 1.2.1. Location of Ethiopia

1) Astronomical location
 Also known as absolute or
mathematical location

 Stated using latitudes and longitudes.

 Ethiopia is located b/n :

• 3°N (Moyale-southern most tip) to

15°N latitude (badime- Tigray-
northern most tip) and

• 33°E (Akobo- western most tip of

Ethiopia) & 48°E longitude (Ogaden-
eastern most tip of Ethiopia).
 The east - west distance (15°) is longer than the
north-south distance (12°).

15 °- 3 ° = 12° *111km= 1332 km.

48° -33 ° = 15° *111km= 1665 km.

• The Geographical center of Ethiopia is 9°N latitude,

40.5° E longitude.

3+15
= = 9° N
2

33+48
= = 40.5° E = 9°N, 40.5° E
2
 2) Relative Location of Ethiopia

a) Vicinal (nearness) location:

Ethiopia is boarded by :

 Sudan in the west and north west

 South Sudan in the south west

 Djibouti in the east

 Eritrea in the north and north east

 Kenya in the south

 Somalia in the east and south east

• Each country shares different lengths of Ethiopia’s borderlines.

• Ethiopia shares the longest length of boundary line with Somalia

while the Republic of Djibouti shares the smallest boundary line
length.
b) Natural/strategic location

Ethiopia is located in :

 In the Horn of Africa

 To Southwest of Arabian Peninsula

 To the southwest of the Asian continent

 To the South of Europe

 To the Northwest of the Indian Ocean

 To the southwest of the Red Sea

 To the south of the Mediterranean Sea

 In the Nile Basin

Importance of Location of Ethiopia
 Location of Ethiopia has the
following implications:
1. Climate – Ethiopia is location lies
between tropic of cancer (23°½N)
and the equator, which implies that
Ethiopia has a tropical climate,
though modified by its altitude.

• The Indian Ocean, the Atlantic

Ocean and the African and Asian
landmass has various bearings on
the climate of Ethiopia.
• 2. Socio-cultural – Ethiopia is one
of the earliest recipients of the
major world religions such as
Christianity, Islam and Judaism due
to its proximity (trade) to the
Middle East.

• The linguistic and other

cultural relationships, which
Ethiopia shares with its
neighbors, reflect the influence of
location.
• 3. Geopolitical strategy - The political history of Ethiopia has been
considerably influenced by Geopolitical considerations of
superpowers. Ethiopia has been exposed to external invasions in a
number of times.
 Adjacency to the Red Sea (a major global trade route).

 The Horn of Africa overlooks the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the most
important maritime trade and energy transport routes in the world, as 25%
of global exports and 30% of oil bound to the west pass through it, with
annual trade exceeding $ 700 billion, 25,000 ships, and nearly two
billion barrel of oil passes annually through the strategic strait.

 The Middle East geopolitical paradigms

 The Horn of Africa is gateway to the African continent linking Africa,

the Middle East and Asia.
• 4. Economic :

• Ethiopia is situated at potential global commercial crossroad

connecting the India Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea and
Africa with Asia & Europe.

• Ethiopia has deprived of sea outlet/harbor and fossil fuel due

to land locked and past geological history respectively.

• Ethiopia has no direct access to navigation ports, world

trade, fishing grounds, beach tourism etc .

• Ethiopia a vital center for the economies of the Horn of

Africa.
5. Time :Ethiopia is found in GMT +3 time zone.

• It has 1hr time difference b/n eastern and western most tips.

• It is only for convenience that the 3 hours-time zone is used.

• Per 15 degree longitude difference, there is a difference

of 1 hr. 360/15=24

• Therefore, there are 24 standard time zones in the world.

• West ---- East = +1hr/15 degree

• East ----- West = -1hr/15 degree

 At any particular time only half a globe gets sun light.

 1.2.2. Size of Ethiopia

• Size of the State range from:

• Very small States- less than 25,000 sq km. -Burundi, Lebanon,

Vatican City

• Small States - 25,000-150,000 sq km. - Netherlands, Liberia

• Medium sized States -150,000-350,000 sq km. -UK, Poland

• Large sized States - 350,000 – 2.5 million sq km. - France,

Ethiopia

• Very large States - exceeding 2.5 million sq km. - Russia,

Canada
• Size of Ethiopia
• Ethiopia is the largest
country in the Horn.

• Ethiopia has a total area of

approximately 1,106,000
square kilometers.

• The 10th largest country in

Africa and the 25th in the
World.

• It contains about 0.7 percent

of the world’s total land
area and about 3.6 percent of
the total Africa’s land mass.
 1.2.3. The shape of Ethiopia and its Implication
• Countries of the world can be
divided into five main
categories.

• These shapes have implications

on defense, administration and
economic & national integration
within a country.

 Shape of a country is decided by

North South-West East length
differences.
1. Compact shape countries

 Distance from the geographic center of the state to any of

the borders does not vary greatly.

 Possess a roughly circular, oval, or rectangular territory.

 No peninsulas, islands, or other protruding parts.

 So that it is easier to defend and socio-economic and
cultural integration.

 The most efficient national shape would be a circle.

 All places could be reached from the center in a minimal

amount of time and with the least expenditure for roads.
• Example- Uruguay, Zimbabwe, and
Poland, Ethiopia

• The establishment of effective

communications to all parts of the
country is easier.

• Effective control is theoretically

more easily maintained here than in
any other country.
2. Fragmented shaped countries:
• are divided from their other parts
by either water, land or other
countries. Example-Indonesia
 Elongated shaped countries:
They are geographically long
and relatively narrow like Chile.

 Perforated shape countries: A

country that completely surrounds
another country like the Republic
of South Africa.

 Protruded shaped countries:

Countries that have one portion
that is much more elongated than
the rest of the country like
Myanmar and Eritrea.
 Indices (measures) of Compactness

 These indices measure the deviation of the shape of a country

from a circular shape, which is the most compact shape (no
country with absolutely circular shape).

 The shorter the NS-WE length differences, the more compact the
country is.

 There are four measures of degree of compactness: A/B ratio, B/C

ratio, A/C ratio, and A/A’ ratio.

• Each of these theoretical assumptions is based on a value of 1 as

indicating a perfectly compact shape except A/B and A/C ratio.

• They consider 0.5 –1.5 values as deviating only slightly from

circular/compact and therefore indicating approximate compactness.
• In contrast, smaller values indicate greater divergence from

compactness, especially as they approach zero (0). These small

values reflect tendencies to elongation or truncation.

• On the other hand, the higher the A/B ratio and A/C ratio, the greater

the degree of compactness.

a) Area-Boundary ratio(A/B).

 It compares the total boundary length of a country under

consideration with the total area of the same country.

 The larger the areal size per unit boundary length is, the more compact
the country is.

 The higher the A/B ratio, the greater the degree of compactness.
Example : Actual area of Ethiopia = 1,106,000𝑘𝑚2

• Total boundary length of Ethiopia = 5260𝑘𝑚

1,106,000𝑘𝑚2
= 210.27 km
5260𝑘𝑚

• This means that effectively defending 1km boundary length , Ethiopia

can defend about 210.27km2 of its total area.

b) Boundary-Circumference (B/C) ratio.

 The ratio of boundary length of a country to the circumference

of a circle having the same area as the country itself.
 It measures how far the boundary of a
country approximates the circumference of
a circle of its own size.

 Therefore; the nearer the ratio to 1, the

more compact the country is.

 To calculate B/C ratio , we need two things.

 Total boundary length
 The circumference of a circle having the
same area as the country under
consideration.
 Lower value near 0 indicates elongation and a
higher value near 1 suggests more
compactness.
• Example: Let us calculate the B/C ratio of Ethiopia.
 Total boundary length of Ethiopia: = 5260km
 Circumference of a circle having area similar to area of Ethiopia
(1,106,000 km2).
C= 𝟐𝝅𝒓
 The value of π is 3.14

 The value of “r” is derived from the circle whose area is equal to
Ethiopia's area ( i.e 1,106,000km2).
𝑨 = 𝝅𝒓𝟐 1,106,000 km2 = 3.14 x 𝒓𝟐
𝒓𝟐 = 352,229.3
Hence, r = 593.5 therefore,
C= 2πr = 2 x 3.14 x 593.5 =3727.19
B/C ratio = 5260/ 3727.1 = 1.411
• This value implies that the shape of Ethiopia has a deviation of 41%
from the assumed theoretical circular shape it ought to have.
3) Area-circumference (A/C) Ratio

 It compares the area of the country with the circumference of an

inscribing circle that passes touching the extreme points on the
country.

 The higher the A/C ratio, the greater the degree of compactness.

 Example- Area of the country, say Ethiopia is: = 1,106,000 km2

 To calculate the circumference of the smallest inscribing circle, we
use the formula 2πr.

 To determine the value of “r”, we use the difference b/n the east
and west (the longest) extreme points.

 That is 48deg E -33deg E = 15 degree (diameter)

• Half-length of the longest distance between two extreme points

gives radius of the inscribing circle.

 r =7.5 degree (111km x 7.5 degree = 832.5km)

 Circumference (C) = 2πr = 2x 3.14 x 832.5

=5228.1km
1,106,000 km2
 A/C ratio = = 211.54km
5228.1km
4. Area-Area (A/A’) ratio

• The ratio of the actual area of a country to the area smallest possible
inscribing circle.

• The area of the inscribing circle is the area of the smallest possible
circle whose circumference passes through the extreme points on the
boundary.
• The nearer the ratio to 1, the more compact the country is.

• Example

 The value of “A”= 1,106,000km2

 The value of A’ is = 𝑨′ = 𝝅𝒓𝟐

• The value of “r” is derived from East -west extension, which is equal
to 832.5km (7.5degree x111km).

Hence, the area of inscribing circle is:

𝑨′ = 𝟑. 𝟏𝟒 𝒙(𝟖𝟑𝟐. 𝟓𝒌𝒎)𝟐

= 3.14 x 693056.25km2 = 2,176,196.625km2

1,106,000km2
• A/A’ Ratio = = 0.51
2,176,196.25km2
 Class work

• Given

Country – Kenya

Total area -582,644 km²

Boundary length – 3,600 km

Absolute location- 35° E - 42° E

4.5° N – 4.5°S

• Required- Calculate the A/B ratio, B/C ratio, A/C ratio,

and A/A’ ratio of Kenya.
 1.3. Basic Skills of Map Reading
• A map is a two-dimensional scaled representation of part or whole of the
Earth surface on a flat body such as piece of paper, black board, or wood.

• Map is a reduced, selective, simplified, symbolized representation of

an area on a flat paper or similar material as if that area is viewed
vertically above.
 Diminished representation- All maps show things /features/ reduced
in size and all maps usually show the degree to which things/features/
have been reduced in size. All maps are smaller than the area they represent.
 Selective representation- No map can show everything that exists in
the area shown on the map. Only things relevant to the purpose of a map
are selected and represented on the map. A map is not a photograph of
the Earth's surface.
 Simplified representation- Maps show selected and summarized
information using their own special language or conventions. No map
can show all physical, political, biological and cultural features for
even the smallest area.
 Symbolized representation- A map is a symbolized image of
geographic reality, representing selected features or characteristics.
These symbols could be expressed in the form of:
– point symbols for discrete values like schools, bridges, houses
– line symbols for linear values such as roads, railways and rivers
– area symbols for continuous values or variables such as countries,
desert areas, agricultural land, forested area or cleared land.
 Plane representation- All maps are drawn on a plane sheet of paper.
Maps do not represent the spherical shape of the earth. Maps are a two-
dimensional representation of three-dimensional features. Therefore they
have distortions. An accurate model of the earth is a globe.
 Representation as viewed from vertically above- Features on a map
are represented as they are seen from vertically above. Maps present a
bird's eye view of the Earth's surface.
• Map reading- involves a systematic identification of natural features
and manmade features.
– Natural features include mountains, plateaus, hills, valleys, river,
ocean, rocks, plain etc.
– Anthropogenic (manmade) features include roads, railway,
buildings, dam etc.
Key Differences Between Map and Globe
• The Globe - a globe being spherical in shape represents the earth
truly. It is the best model of the earth.
• Relative distance, areas, shapes and directions are represented on a
globe without any distortions (correctly maintained).
• It is easy to identify where places are located with ease and precision.

• There are several weaknesses that are associated with a globe and
makes map projection a necessity. The principal weaknesses are:

 A globe is a three dimensional surface so that only half of its surface is

observed at a time.
 It is difficult to measure distances on a globe due to its curvature
surface.
 It is difficult and expensive to construct a large sized globe
 Even the largest globe has a very small scale and shows relatively little
detail.
 It is cumbersome to handle (it is difficult to carry the globe from place to
place). It is also difficult to store large sized globes.
 Comparison Table Between Map and Globe
Basis for Map Globe
comparison
Meaning A map is a graphical A globe is a spherical rounded
representation of an area, land model of the earth.
or sea, depicting physical
features.
Presentation Two-dimensional Three-dimensional
Latitude and Drawn as straight lines. Drawn as circles and semi-circles.
Longitude
Earth Whole or a part of earth is Whole earth is represented.
represented.
Information Shows large number of Comparatively less information is
information (more detailed) shown.
Accuracy Less accurate than the globe More accurate than the map
Portability Maps may be readily folded and Globes are composed of rigid
carried with you wherever you materials that cannot be folded,
go. making them difficult to transport.
 Importance of maps
• The importance of maps can be arranged in to four categories.
• 1. Display and Store Spatial information- Provide broader knowledge
related to distributional patterns of physical, cultural and related
attributes because they have strong visual impact.
– Provide information about the geographical facts of an area such as
relief, drainage, settlement etc.
– Powerful tools for making spatial analysis of geographical facts of areas
represented.
– Used in land use planning, military science, aviation, tourism, marine
science, population studies, epidemiology, geology, economics, history,
archaeology, agriculture etc.
– Serve as a teaching aid to arose students interest.
– Needed for administrative purpose.
• 2. Navigation -This is related with road maps; bus route maps; tourist
maps; nautical and aeronautical charts.
• 3. Visualization- Maps can be more objective and more efficient than
verbal description making it much easier to visualize and understand
the spatial patterns.

• Bring reality in to view and increase the range of our vision because we
can view the unknown & unseen lands at a glance on a map.

• Provide the exact site of a place and its position in relation to others
[absolute and relative location].
• Allow us to perceive relationships which we cannot observe because of
our limited range of view.
4. Measurement - Maps are a means of portraying information about
measurements such as area, distance, slope, etc. from appropriate maps.
• Maps can help to provide comparison of areas, distances and directions
in relation to one another.
 Types of Map

• Maps may be classified on the basis of

• Scale (large, medium, small)

• Purpose (general and thematic)

A. Based on Scale (large, medium, small).

• Scale is the relative proportion of map distance to the corresponding
ground distance.

• Thus based on the amount of reduction of ground distance to the map

distance, maps could be classified in to three.

• The following range of classification is applied in many countries and

specifically in Ethiopia.
• 1. Large scale maps; these are maps with a scale of greater or
equal to 1: 50,000.

• These maps cover relatively smaller area but convey more

information with greater details of an area.

• The amount of reduction is very low.

• Large scale maps are becoming very important due an increasing

demand for reliable geo information for planning.

• 2. Medium scale maps: these are maps whose scale is between

1:50,000 and 1:250,000.

• Such maps cover medium size areas but wider areas as compared to
large scale maps and smaller area than small scale maps.
• They can present more information than small scale maps but are less
detailed than large scale ones.

• 3. Small scale maps: these are maps whose scale is less or equal to 1:
250,000.

• They cover wider areas than large and medium scale maps at the
expense information they convey.

• In small scale maps, there will be less detail with more

generalization, and the harder it will be to detect different features on
the map.

• A map covering a large area (world, continent, country or state) is

expressed in small scales (e.g. 1:30,000,000; 1:2,000,000 and so on).

• The larger the number after 1:__ is the smaller the scale of a map.
• In Ethiopia, to cover the whole country at a scale of 1:50,000 over
1570 (15’ by 15’ quadrangles) are required compared to 73 map
sheets of 1:250,000 scale, 8 when the scale is 1:1,000,000 and 1 at a
scale of 1:2,000,000 and more.

• The scale the user chooses depends on the size of the area to be mapped
and the amount of details to be shown.

B. Based on the Purpose(content) of the map /communication objective/

1. Reference /General purpose Maps- These maps are prepared to provide

diverse (multivariate) geographical features of an area within a map.

• They depict the location of a variety of natural and cultural features

such as relief, vegetation, rivers, settlements; roads, boundaries and etc
appear together on a single map.
Political Map of Ethiopia
• However, they contain little information of each spatial and non-spatial
features about the area they represent.

• Example; Physical maps, Political maps, Topographic Maps etc

• Topographical maps: depict a combination of one or more natural

features of an area such as mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, swamps,
vegetation etc.

• Their ability to provide different information is their advantage,

whereas their weakness is to show limited detailed information.

2. Thematic (Special Purpose or Topical) Maps: - deals with portraying the

distribution of a single phenomenon.

• These maps are designed to focus on the spatial extent and distribution
of one feature of an area.
• Such maps can show soil types, geological maps, vegetation distribution,
drainage patterns, rainfall distribution, temperature patterns, air pressure
and wind patterns (weather and climate maps), population distribution,
Astronomical map, crop yield, route maps etc. focusing only on a single
attribute.
• These are univariate or single variable maps or special purpose maps.
• Marginal Information on Maps (Elements of Maps)
• Shown to enable the reading and interpretation of the
geographical information of an area represented.
• Such information is presented in the map’s margins and is known as
marginal information. These includes:
• Title: It is the heading of the given map. Gives the map’s name.
• Key (legend): It is the list of all convectional symbols and signs
shown on the map with their interpretation (meaning).
• Scale: This information indicates the extent to which the area that is
represented in the map has been reduced.
• It is the ratio between the distance on the map and the actual ground
distance.
 It can be expressed as representative fraction (e.g 1:200,000 or
1/200,000), statements/verbal (e.g 1cm to 2km), linear (graphic) scale.

• North arrow: It is indicated with the north direction on a map; used

to know the other important directions of the mapped area like east,
west, south, and west.

• Margin: Is the frame of the map. It is important for showing the end
of the mapped area.

• Date of compilation: It is a date of map publication. It is used to

know whether the map is updated or outdated.
 Basic Principles of Map Reading

 Map Readers must have ideas about the symbol and also the real
world (landscapes).

 Knowledge of directions is an important principle in reading maps.

 Before locating features using a map, north (the north arrow) should
be determined and the readers should have practice in finding this
direction.

 Next they should learn to read direction on a specific map and the
location of the features shown on the map in relation to one another.

• Maps are covered in a series of lines that make up a grid. The lines
allow you to accurately pinpoint your location on a map.