Reading Maps and Globes

A map is a drawing of a place from above, shrunk down so you can hold it. A globe does the same job for the whole Earth, and because it is round like the planet, it shows sizes and shapes honestly. Flat maps always stretch something.

Maps use tools to talk to you. The compass rose shows direction: north, south, east, and west. The scale tells you how far things really are - one inch on the map might mean ten miles in the world. The legend explains what the colors and symbols mean, like blue lines for rivers or stars for capital cities.

Lines of latitude run sideways around the Earth and lines of longitude run up and down. Together they make a grid that can name any spot on the planet. Every place on Earth, including your home, has its own pair of coordinates.