Cartography 7294 225829520 2008-07-15T16:21:06Z Epbr123 1395162 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/OrgasGirl|OrgasGirl]] to last version by Sardanaphalus (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{Redirect|Mapmaker}} '''Cartography''' or '''mapmaking''' (in [[Greek language|Greek]] ''chartis'' = map and ''graphein'' = write) is the study and practice of making representations of the Earth on a flat surface. Cartography combines science, [[aesthetics]], and technical ability to create a balanced and readable representation that is capable of communicating information effectively and quickly. One problem in creating maps is the simple reality that the surface of the Earth, a curved surface in three-dimensional space, must be represented in two dimensions as a flat surface. This necessarily entails some degree of distortion, which can be dealt with by utilizing [[map projection|projections]] that minimize distortion in certain areas. Furthermore, the Earth is not a regular [[sphere]], but its shape is instead known as a [[geoid]], which is a highly irregular but exactly knowable and calculable shape. Maps of all [[scale (map)|scale]]s have traditionally been drawn and made by hand, but the recent advent and spread of [[computer]]s has revolutionized cartography. Most commercial-quality maps are now made with [[software]] that falls into one of three main types: [[computer-aided design|CAD]], [[geographic information systems|GIS]], and specialized illustration [[software]]. Functioning as tools, maps communicate spatial [[information]] by making it visible. Spatial information is acquired from [[measurement]] of space and can be stored in a [[database]], from which it can be extracted for a variety of purposes. Current trends in this field are moving away from analog methods of mapmaking and toward the creation of increasingly dynamic, [[interactive maps]] that can be manipulated digitally. Cartographic representation involves the use of symbols and lines to illustrate geographic phenomena. This can aid in visualizing space in an abstract and portable format. The cartographic process rests on the premise that the [[world]] is measurable and that we can make reliable representations or models of that reality. ==History== {{main|History of cartography}} [[Image:TO map.gif|thumb|Copy (1475) of St. Isidore's TO map of the world]] The earliest known map to date is a wall painting of the ancient Turkish city of [[Catal Huyuk|Çatal Hüyük]] which has been dated to the late [[7th millennium BCE]].<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_5_20/ai_54432963] "A Tale of two obsessed archeologists, one ancient city, and nagging doubts about whether science can ever hope to reveal the past" by Robert Kunzig. Discover Magazine, May 1999.</ref> Other known maps of the ancient world include the [[Minoan]] “House of the Admiral” wall painting from c. 1600 BCE showing a seaside community in an oblique perspective, and an engraved map of the holy [[Babylonian]] city of [[Nippur]], from the Kassite period ([[14th century BCE|14th]]{{ndash}} [[12th century BCE|12th centuries BCE]]).<ref>http://www-oi.uchicago.edu/OI/PROJ/NIP/PUB93/NSC/NSCFIG7.html The Nippur Expedition</ref> The [[ancient Greeks]] and [[Roman Empire|Romans]] created maps beginning with [[Anaximander]] in the 6th century BC. In [[ancient China]], geographical literature spans back to the 5th century BC. The oldest extant Chinese maps come from the [[Qin (state)|State of Qin]], dated back to the 4th century BC during the [[Warring States]] era. Early forms of cartography in [[India]] included legendary paintings; maps of locations described in Indian [[epic poetry]], for example the ''[[Ramayana]]''.<ref name=Sircar1>Sircar 327</ref> Indian cartographic traditions also covered the locations of the [[Pole star]], and other constellations of use.<ref name=Sircar3/> These charts may have been in use by the beginning of the [[Common Era]] for purposes of navigation.<ref name=Sircar3>Sircar 330</ref> [[Mappa mundi]] is the general term used to describe Medieval European maps of the world. Approximately 1,100 mappae mundi are known to have survived from the Middle Ages. Of these, some 900 are found illustrating manuscripts and the remainder exist as stand-alone documents (Woodward, p. 286). In the [[Age of Exploration]] from the 15th century to the 17th century, cartographers both copied earlier maps (some of which had been passed down for centuries) and drew their own based on explorers' observations and new [[surveying]] techniques. The invention of the [[magnetic compass]], [[telescope]] and [[sextant]] enabled increasing accuracy. Due to the sheer physical difficulties inherent in cartography, map-makers frequently lifted material from earlier works without giving credit to the original cartographer. For example, one of the most famous early maps of North America is unofficially known as the [[Beaver Map]], published in 1715 by [[Herman Moll]]. This map is an exact reproduction of a 1698 work by [[Nicolas de Fer]]. De Fer in turn had copied images that were first printed in books by [[Louis Hennepin]], published in 1697, and [[François Du Creux]], in 1664. By the 1700s, map-makers started to give credit to the original engraver by printing the phrase "After [the original cartographer]" on the work.<ref>"Map Imitation" in [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/forgery/002035-300-e.html?PHPSESSID=el7bd0vpd8cto0amsqqq5kaj22 Detecting the Truth: Fakes, Forgeries and Trickery], a virtual museum exhibition at Library and Archives Canada </ref> == Technological changes == [[Image:Fernão Vaz Dourado 1571-1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A pre-Mercator nautical chart of 1571, from Portuguese cartographer Fernão Vaz Dourado (c. 1520-c.1580). It belongs to the so-called ''plane chart'' model, where observed latitudes and magnetic directions are plotted directly into the plane, with a constant scale, as if the Earth were plane (Portuguse National Archives of Torre do Tombo, Lisbon)]] In cartography, technology has continually changed in order to meet the demands of new generations of mapmakers and map users. The first maps were manually constructed with brushes and parchment and therefore varied in quality and were limited in distribution. The advent of magnetic devices, such as the [[compass]] and much later [[magnetic storage]] devices, allowed for the creation of far more accurate maps and the ability to store and manipulate them digitally. Advances in mechanical devices such as the [[printing press]], [[quadrant]] and [[vernier scale|vernier]] allowed for the mass production of maps and the ability to make accurate reproductions from more accurate data. Optical technology, such as the [[telescope]], [[sextant]] and other devices that use telescopes, allowed for accurate surveying of land and the ability of mapmakers and navigators to find their [[latitude]] by measuring angles to the [[North Star]] at night or the [[sun]] at noon. Advances in photochemical technology, such as the [[lithography|lithographic]] and [[photography|photochemical processes]], have allowed for the creation of maps that have fine details, do not distort in shape and resist moisture and wear. This also eliminated the need for engraving which further shortened the time it takes to make and reproduce maps. In the late 20th century and early 21st century advances in electronic technology led to a new revolution in cartography. Specifically, [[computer hardware]] devices such as computer screens, plotters, printers, scanners (remote and document) and analytic stereo plotters along with visualization, image processing, spatial analysis and database software, have democratized and greatly expanded the making of maps. The ability to superimpose spatially located variables onto existing maps created new uses for maps and new industries to explore and exploit these potentials. See also [[digital raster graphic]]. == Map types == ===General vs thematic cartography=== In understanding basic maps, the field of cartography can be divided into two general categories: general cartography and thematic cartography. General cartography involves those maps that are constructed for a general audience and thus contain a variety of features. General maps exhibit many reference and location systems and often are produced in a series. For example the 1:24,000 scale topographic maps of the [[United States Geological Survey]] (USGS) are a standard as compared to the 1:50,000 scale Canadian maps. The government of the UK produces the classic 1:63,360 (1 inch to 1 mile) "Ordnance Survey" maps of the entire UK and with a range of correlated larger- and smaller-scale maps of great detail. [[Thematic map|Thematic cartography]] involves maps of specific geographic themes oriented toward specific audiences. A couple of examples might be a [[Thematic_map#Dot|dot map]] showing corn production in Indiana or a shaded area map of Ohio counties divided into numerical [[Choropleth map|choropleth]] classes. As the volume of geographic data has exploded over the last century, thematic cartography has become increasingly useful and necessary to interpret spatial, cultural and social data. [[Image:Orienteringskort bygholm 2005 detail.jpg|thumb|right|Small section of an orienteering map]] An [[orienteering]] map combines both general and thematic cartography, designed for a very specific user community. The most prominent thematic element is shading that indicates degrees of difficulty of travel due to vegetation. The vegetation itself is not identified, merely classified by the difficulty ("fight") that it presents. ===Topographic vs topological=== [[Image:Swisstopo Bluemlisalp 50.png|thumb|220|Sample detail of the 1:50,000 [[Cartography of Switzerland|National Map of Switzerland]].]] A [[topographic map]] is primarily concerned with the [[topography|topographic]] description of a place, including (especially in the 20th century) the use of [[contour line]]s showing elevation. [[Terrain]] or relief can be shown in a variety of ways (see [[Cartographic relief depiction]]). A [[topological map]] is a very general type of map, the kind you might sketch on a napkin. It often disregards scale and detail in the interest of clarity of communicating specific route or relational information. == Map design == {{seealso|Map projection}} [[Arthur H. Robinson]], an American cartographer influential in thematic cartography, stated that a map not properly designed "will be a cartographic failure." He also claimed, when considering all aspects of cartography, that "map design is perhaps the most complex."<ref>{{cite book |author=Robinson, A.H. |title=Elements of Cartography |location=New York |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=1953 |id=ISBN}}</ref> Robinson codified the mapmaker's understanding that a map must be designed foremost with consideration to the audience and its needs. From the very beginning of mapmaking, maps "have been made for some particular purpose or set of purposes".<ref>{{cite book |author=Robinson, A.H. |title=Early Thematic Mapping: In the History of Cartography. |location=Chicago |publisher=The University of Chicago Press. |year=1982 |id=ISBN}}</ref> The intent of the map should be illustrated in a manner in which the percipient acknowledges its purpose in a timely fashion. The term ''percipient'' refers to the person receiving information and was coined by Robinson.<ref>{{cite book |author=MacEachren, A.M. |title=How Maps Work |location=New York |publisher=The Guilford Press |year=1995 |id=ISBN}}</ref> The principle of [[Figure-ground in map design|figure-ground]] refers to this notion of engaging the user by presenting a clear presentation, leaving no confusion concerning the purpose of the map. This will enhance the user’s experience and keep his attention. If the user is unable to identify what is being demonstrated in a reasonable fashion, the map may be regarded as useless. [[Image:Livingston-Greenwich-map.jpg|thumb|270px|right|Illustrated map]] Making a meaningful map is the ultimate goal. MacEachren explains that a well designed map "is convincing because it implies authenticity" (1994, pp. 9). An interesting map will no doubt engage a reader. Information richness or a map that is multivariate shows relationships within the map. Showing several variables allows comparison, which adds to the meaningfulness of the map. This also generates hypothesis and stimulates ideas and perhaps further research. In order to convey the message of the map, the creator must design it in a manner which will aid the reader in the overall understanding of its purpose. The title of a map may provide the "needed link" necessary for communicating that message, but the overall design of the map fosters the manner in which the reader interprets it (Monmonier, 1993, pp. 93). In the 21st century it is possible to find a map of virtually anything from the inner workings of the [[human body]] to the [[virtual world]]s of [[cyberspace]]. Therefore there are now a huge variety of different styles and types of map - for example, one area which has evolved a specific and recognisable variation are those used by [[transit]] organisations to guide [[passengers]], namely [[Urban rail and metro maps]], many of which are loosely based on 45 degree angles as originally perfected by [[Harry Beck]] and [[George Dow]]. === Naming conventions === Most maps use text to [[Labeling (map design)|label]] places and for such things as a map title, legend, and other information. Maps are often made in specific languages, though names of places often differ between languages. So a map made in English may use the name ''Germany'' for that country, while a German map would use ''Deutschland'', and French map ''Allemagne''. A word that describes a place using a non-native terminology or language is referred to as an [[exonym]]. In some cases the proper name is not clear. For example, the nation of Burma officially changed its name to [[Myanmar]], but many nations do not recognize the ruling junta and continue to use ''Burma''. Sometimes an official name change is resisted in other languages and the older name may remain in common use. Examples include the use of ''Saigon'' for [[Ho Chi Minh City]], ''Bangkok'' for [[Bangkok|Krung Thep]], and ''Ivory Coast'' for [[Côte d'Ivoire]]. Difficulties arise when [[transliteration]] or [[Transcription (linguistics)|transcription]] between [[writing systems]] is required. National names tend to have well established names in other languages and writing systems, such as ''Russia'' for Росси́я, but for many placenames a system of transliteration or transcription is required. In transliteration the symbols of one language are represented by symbols in another. For example, the [[Cyrillic alphabet|Cyrillic]] letter ''Р'' is traditionally written as ''R'' in the [[Latin alphabet]]. Systems exist for transliteration of [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]], but the results may vary. For example, the Yemeni city of [[Mocha, Yemen|Mocha]] is written variously in English as Mocha, Al Mukha, al-Mukhā, Mocca, and Moka. Transliteration systems are based on relating written symbols to one another, while transcription is the attempt to spell in one language the phonetic sounds of another. Chinese writing is transformed into the Latin alphabet through the [[Pinyin]] phonetic transcription systems. Other systems were used in the past, such as [[Wade-Giles]], resulting in the city being spelled ''Beijing'' on newer English maps and ''Peking'' on older ones. Further difficulties arise when countries, especially former colonies, do not have a strong national geographic naming standard. In such cases cartographers may have to choose between various phonetic spellings of local names versus older imposed, sometimes resented, colonial names. Some counties have multiple official languages, resulting in multiple official placenames. For example, the capital of Belgium is both ''Brussel'' and ''Bruxelles''. In Canada, English and French are official languages and places have names in both languages. [[British Columbia]] is also officially named ''la Colombie-Britannique''. English maps rarely show the French names outside Quebec, which itself is spelled ''Québec'' in French.<ref>This section based on: {{cite encyclopedia |title=Transliteration Systems | encyclopedia = Illustrated Atlas of the World |publisher=[[Rand McNally]] |date=1992 |id=ISBN 0-528-83492-4 |pages=A16-A17}}</ref> The study of placenames is called [[toponymy]], while that of the origin and historical usage of placenames as words is [[etymology]]. === Map symbology === The quality of a map’s design affects its reader’s ability to extract information, and to learn from the map. Cartographic [[symbology]] has been developed in an effort to portray the world accurately and effectively convey information to the map reader. A legend explains the pictorial language of the map known as its symbology. The title indicates the region the map portrays; the map image portrays the region and so on. Although every map element serves some purpose, convention only dictates inclusion of some elements while others are considered optional. A menu of map elements includes the neatline (border), [[compass rose]] or north arrow, overview map, scale bar, [[map projection|projection]], and information about the map sources, accuracy and publication. When examining a landscape, scale can be intuited from trees, houses and cars. Not so with a map. Even such a simple thing as a north arrow is crucial. It may seem obvious that the top of a map should point north but this might not be the case. Color likewise is equally important. How the cartographer displays the data in different hues can greatly affect the understanding or feel of the map. Different intensities of hue portray different objectives the cartographer is attempting to get across to the audience. Today, personal computers can display up to 16 million distinct colors at a time even though the human eye can distinguish only a minimum number of these (Jeer, 1997). This fact allows for a multitude of color options for even for the most demanding maps. Moreover, computers can easily hatch patterns in colors to give even more options. This is very beneficial when symbolizing data in categories such as quintile and equal interval classifications. Quantitative symbols give a visual measure of the relative size/importance/number that a symbol represents and to symbolize this data on a map there are two major classes of symbols used for portraying quantitative properties: Proportional symbols change their visual weight according to a quantitative property. These are appropriate for extensive statistics. [[Choropleth map]]s portray data collection areas (such as counties, or census tracts) with color. Using color this way, the darkness and intensity (or value) of the color is evaluated by the eye as a measure of intensity or concentration (Harvard Graduate School of Design, 2005). === Map generalization === A good map has to provide a compromise between portraying the items of interest (or [[thematic map|themes]]) in the ''right place'' for the map [[scale (map)|scale]] used, against the need to annotate that item with text or a symbol, which takes up space on the map medium and very likely will cause some other item of interest to be displaced. The cartographer is thus constantly making judgements about what to include, what to leave out and what to show in a ''slightly'' incorrect place - because of the demands of the annotation. This issue assumes more importance as the scale of the map gets smaller (i.e the map shows a larger area), because relatively, the annotation on the map, takes up more space ''on the ground''. A good example from the late 1980's was the [[Ordnance Survey]]'s first digital maps, where the ''absolute'' positions of major roads shown at scales of 1:1250 and 1:2500 were sometimes a scale distance of hundreds of metres away from [[ground truth]], when shown on digital maps at scales of 1:250000 and 1:625000, because of the overriding need to annotate the features. ==In popular culture== *[[Lewis Carroll]]'s [[Sylvie and Bruno Concluded]] tells of a fictional map that had "the scale of a mile to the mile." *[[Jorge Luis Borges]] wrote a short story about a map made to 1:1 scale. It is an homage to Lewis Carroll's work mentioned above. The story, [[On Exactitude in Science]], is located in a collection called, [[A Universal History of Infamy]]. *[[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[Middle-earth]] is a renowned example of fictional cartography. *[[Nicholas Crane]]'s [[television]] series ''[[Map Man]]'' made originally for [[BBC Two]], portrays cartography and [[cartographers]]. *In the television series [[Arrested Development (TV Series)]], character [[Byron "Buster" Bluth]] has purportedly studied cartography extensively. == See also == <div style="-moz-column-count:3; column-count:3;"> * [[Aerial photography]] * [[Animated mapping]] * [[British Cartographic Society]] * [[Cartogram]] * [[Cartographic relief depiction]] * [[Cybercartography]] * [[Digital Cadastral DataBase]] * [[Figure-ground in map design]] * [[Four color theorem]] * [[Gazetteer]] * [[Geocode]] * [[Geographic information system|Geographic Information System]] (GIS) * [[Geovisualization]] * [[Here be dragons]] * [[Isolines]] * [[Isostasy]] * [[Japanese map symbols]] * [[List of cartographers]] * [[Locator map]] * [[Map projection]] * [[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency]] * [[OpenStreetMap]], a free project mapping the world's roads using [[Global Positioning System|GPS]] * [[Orthophoto]] * [[Pictorial maps]] * [[Planetary cartography]] * [[Point of Beginning]] * [[Sea level]] * [[Terra incognita]] </div> <!-- The article titled ''[[great circle distance]]'' explains how to find that quantity if one knows the two latitudes and longitudes. --> ==Footnotes== <references /> == Further reading== *Belyea, B. 1992. Amerindian Maps: the Explorer as Translator. ''Journal of Historical Geography'' 18, no.3 :267-277. *Bender, B. 1999. Subverting the Western Gaze: mapping alternative worlds. In The Archaeology and Anthropology of Landscape: Shaping your landscape (eds) P.J. Ucko & R. Layton. London: Routledge. *Crawford, P.V. 1973. The perception of graduated squares as cartographic symbols. ''Cartographic Journal'' 10, no.2:85-88. * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and [[David Woodward]] (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 1: Cartography in Prehistoric, Ancient, and Medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1987 |id=ISBN 0-226-31633-5}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 2, Book 1: Cartography in the Traditional Islamic and South Asian Societies. |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1992|id=ISBN 0-226-31635-1}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 2, Book 2: Cartography in the Traditional East and Southeast Asian Societies. |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1994|id=ISBN 0-226-31637-8}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 2, Book 3: Cartography in the Traditional African, American, Arctic, Australian, and Pacific Societies. [Full text of the Introduction by David Woodward and G. Malcolm Lewis]|location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1998|id=ISBN 0-226-90728-7}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 3 (in press, 2005): Cartography in the European Renaissance. |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2005|id=ISBN 0-226-90733-3}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 4 (edited by D. Graham Burnett, Matthew Edney, and Mary G. Sponberg Pedley with Founding Editor David Woodward): Cartography in the European Enlightenment. |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1987|id=ISBN 0-226-31633-5}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 5: Cartography in the Nineteenth Century |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |id=ISBN}} * {{cite book |author=J. B. Harley and David Woodward (eds) |title=The History of Cartography Volume 4: Cartography in the Twentieth Century |location=Chicago and London |publisher=University of Chicago Press |id=ISBN}} * {{cite book |author=MacEachren, A.M. |title=Some Truth with Maps: A Primer on Symbolization & Design |location=University Park |publisher=The Pennsylvania State University |year=1994 |id=ISBN}} * {{cite book |author=Monmonier, Mark |title=How to Lie with Maps |location=Chicago |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1991 |id=ISBN 0-226-53421-9}} * {{cite book |author=Monmonier, Mark |title=Mapping It Out |location=Chicago |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=1993 |id=ISBN}} *ESRI. 2004. ESRI Cartography: ''Capabilities and Trends''. Redlands, CA. White Paper *Harvard Graduate School of Design, 2005. http://www.gsd.harvard.edu/gis/manual/style/index.htm *Jeer, S. 1997. Traditional Color Coding for Land Uses. ''American Planning Association''. pp. 4-5 *Kent, A.J. 2005. "Aesthetics: A Lost Cause in Cartographic Theory?" The Cartographic Journal 42(2) pp.182-188 * {{cite book |author=Lewi, P.J. |title=Speaking of Graphics|year=2006 |url=http://www.datascope.be/sog.htm}} *Imus, D. and Dunlavey, P. 2002. ''Back to the Drawing Board: Cartography vs the Digital Workflow''. MT. Hood, Oregon. *Oliver, J. 2007. The Paradox of Progress: Land Survey and the Making of Agrarian Society in Colonial British Columbia. In Contemporary and Historical Archaeology in Theory (eds) L. McAtackney, M. Palus & A. Piccini, pp. 31-38. Oxford: BAR, International Series 1677 *Olson, Judy M. 1975. Experience and the improvement of cartographic communication. ''Cartographic Journal'' 12, no. 2:94-108 * {{cite book |author=Peterson, Michael P. |title=Interactive and Animated Cartography |location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey |publisher=Prentice Hall |year=1995 |id=ISBN 978-0130791047}} *Phillips, R., De Lucia, A., and Skelton, A. 1975. Some Objective Tests of the Legibility of Relief Maps. ''The Cartographic Journal''. 12, pp. 39-46 *Phillips, R. 1980. A Comparison of Color and Visual Texture as Codes for use as Area Symbols on Relief Maps. ''Ergonomics''. 23, pp. 1117-1128. * {{cite book |author=Pickles, John |title=A History of Spaces: Cartographic Reason, Mapping, and the Geo-Coded World |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2003 |id=ISBN 0-415-14497-3}} *Rice, M., Jacobson, R., Jones. D. 2003. ''Object Size Discrimination and Non-visual Cartographic Symbolization''. CA. pp. 1-12. * {{cite book |author=Slocum, T. |title=Thematic Cartography and Geographic Visualization |location=Upper Saddle River, New Jersey |publisher=Prentice Hall |year=2003 |id=ISBN 0-130-35123-7}} * {{cite book |author=Wilford, John Noble |title=The Mapmakers |publisher=Vintage Books |year=2000 |id=ISBN 0-375-70850-2}} *"Map Imitations" in [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/forgery/ Detecting the Truth: Fakes, Forgeries and Trickery], a virtual museum exhibition at Library and Archives Canada * {{cite book |last=Sircar|first= D.C.C. |title=Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|date=January 1990 |isbn=8120806905}} == External links == {{portalpar|Atlas|BlankMap-World.png|65}} {{Commons|Historical maps}} * [http://www.cartotalk.com CartoTalk] - The discussion board for cartographers and anyone who designs or just loves maps. A very rich resource about cartography from those who practice the art every day. * [http://www.ncc.org.ir/ National Cartographic Center of Iran (NCC), Tehran] * [http://www.cartography.org.uk/ British Cartographic Society] * [http://www.bl.uk/learning/artimages/maphist/mappinghistory.html Mapping History] - a learning resource from the British Library * [http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/guide/gmilltoc.html Geography and Maps, an Illustrated Guide], by the staff of the US [[Library of Congress]]. * [http://www-gap.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/HistTopics/Cartography.html The history of cartography] at the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland * [http://www.antiquemaps.co.uk/contents.html Antique Maps] by Carl Moreland and David Bannister - complete text of the book, with information both on mapmaking and on mapmakers, including short biographies of many cartographers * [http://www.nacis.org/ North American Cartographic Information Society] * [http://www.soc.org.uk/ Society of Cartographers]supports the practising cartographer and encourages and maintains a high standard of cartographic illustration * [http://www.newberry.org/collections/conbib.html Concise Bibliography of the History of Cartography], Newberry Library * [http://www.upct.org/ UPCT] : project aimed at creating a world map (a French map to begin) with voluntaries using [[Global positioning system|GPS]] *[http://openstreetmap.org OpenStreetMap] : project aimed squarely at creating and providing free geographic data such as street maps to anyone who wants them. *[http://www.gitta.info GITTA] - A webbased open content eLearning course with basic and intermediate cartography lessons based on the [[eLML]] XML framework. See [[Maps#External links|Maps]] for more links to modern and historical maps; however, most of the largest sites are listed at the sites linked below. * [http://www.maphistory.info/index.html Map history] has extensive links to online map resources, including several large [http://www.maphistory.info/webimages.html collections of images online] and articles on the [http://www.maphistory.info/webtexts.html history of cartography]. * [http://oddens.geog.uu.nl/index.php Odden's fascinating world of maps and mapping] has a huge database of links on maps and cartography (under "Literature"). * [http://www.sunysb.edu/libmap/libcats.htm Online map catalogs in North America and Europe] lists some good places to search for online maps. * [http://www.uidaho.edu/special-collections/Other.Repositories.html A listing of over 5000 websites] describing holdings of manuscripts, archives, rare books, historical photographs, and other primary sources for the research scholar * [http://www.mapref.org MapRef] A collection of map projections and reference systems for Europe - Zusammenstellung Europäischer Referenzsysteme und Kartenprojektionen *[http://maps.grida.no UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics Library], web-site from the UN Environment Programme with hundreds of examples of thematic maps *[http://compsoc.bandungfe.net/kartografi-indonesia/ Kartografi-Indonesia] A website displaying cartograms of various Indonesian-related data made by the Dept. Computational Sociology of Bandung Fe Institute. *[http://islamic-cartography.blogspot.com/ IslamicCartography] A weblog on Islamic cartography by Tarek Kahlaoui a PhD student in the University of Pennsylvania *[http://www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/mappingourworld/ Mapping Our World] Oxfam's interactive site to help pupils develop geography skills through activities all about maps, globes and how we view the world *[http://www.platial.com/ Platial, The People's Atlas] User-created maps {{atlas}} {{Geography topics}} {{Visualization}} <!--New category to enable a WikiAtlas--> [[Category:Cartography| ]] [[Category:Branches of geography]] [[Category:Visualization (graphic)]] [[Category:Atlas| Cartography]] [[af:Kartografie]] [[ar:علم الخرائط]] [[ast:Cartografía]] [[bg:Картография]] [[ca:Cartografia]] [[cs:Kartografie]] [[cy:Cartograffeg]] [[da:Kartografi]] [[de:Kartografie]] [[et:Kartograafia]] [[el:Χαρτογραφία]] [[es:Cartografía]] [[eo:Kartografio]] [[fa:نقشه‌نگاری]] [[fr:Cartographie]] [[gl:Cartografía]] [[hr:Kartografija]] [[id:Kartografi]] [[ia:Cartographia]] [[it:Cartografia]] [[he:קרטוגרפיה]] [[ka:კარტოგრაფია]] [[lv:Kartogrāfija]] [[lb:Kartographie]] [[lt:Kartografija]] [[li:Cartografie]] [[hu:Térképészet]] [[nl:Cartografie]] [[ja:地図学]] [[no:Kartografi]] [[nn:Kartografi]] [[oc:Cartografia]] [[pl:Kartografia]] [[pt:Cartografia]] [[ro:Cartografie]] [[ru:Картография]] [[scn:Cartugrafìa]] [[simple:Cartography]] [[sk:Kartografia]] [[sl:Kartografija]] [[sr:Картографија]] [[fi:Kartografia]] [[sv:Kartografi]] [[ta:நிலப்படவரைவியல்]] [[vi:Bản đồ học]] [[uk:Картографія]] [[zh:地图学]]