Tools of Geography

Cardinal directions

North, South, East and West

intermediate directions

Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest

title

Tells what that subject of the map will be.

hemisphere

half of the earth (there are 4)

continent

one of the seven large landmasses on the earth

absolute location

Exact location of a place on the earth described by global coordinates

map grid

Horizontal and vertical lines used to locate places on a map.

latitude

Horizontal lines that measure distance from the Equator. The lines are parallel and never cross.

compass rose

A tool on a map showing cardinal (N,E,S,W) and intermediate (NE,SE,NW,SW) directions.

map key/legend

A written table on a map, with drawings and words that represent symbols on the map. It makes it easier to read the map.

Equator

The equator is an imaginary line around the middle of Earth. It is halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole, located at 0 degrees LATITUDE. ALL other lines of latitude are measured from this line.

relative location

The position of a place in relation to another place

Prime Meridian

The prime meridian is the line of 0 LONGITUDE, the starting point for measuring distance both east and west around the earth. This line of longitude separates the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

map scale

This allows you to measure distances on a map.

longitude

Vertical lines that measure distance east and west of the Prime Meridian. Another name for these lines is meridians

inset map

a smaller map set within the border of a larger one