A globe is a spherical model of the Earth that presents a realistic view of continents, oceans, and political boundaries on a smaller scale. It’s a useful tool for understanding Earth’s geography as a whole. However, its limitations arise when we want to study specific regions in detail. Its small scale cannot capture the intricacies of smaller regions like districts, towns, or villages. This is where maps come into play.

A “map” is a two-dimensional representation of the Earth’s surface (or a part of it). It is drawn on a flat surface and is made according to a certain scale. Given the Earth’s spherical nature, perfectly translating its surface onto a flat plane without any distortion is impossible. However, maps are more versatile than globes in offering detailed information about specific regions. When multiple maps are compiled together, we get an atlas, which can be seen as a comprehensive collection of maps. Atlases vary in terms of size, scale, and information they provide.

Types Of Maps

Physical Maps

These depict the Earth’s natural features.

Show topographical features like mountains, valleys, rivers, plateaus, and oceans.

Termed as relief maps because they represent the relief features or the elevation of different areas.