Topographic Map -
Scale
By Blake Miller
Dictionary.com defines map scale
as:
“A ratio which compares a measurement on a
map to the actual distance between locations identified on the map.”
A topographic (topo) map’s scale
information is located at the bottom center of the map. Other maps will generally have scale
information in the large map key that outlines many of the features and data
printed on the map.
The map scale for a United States
Geologic Survey (USGS) 7.5 topo minute map is highlighted below.
Think of scale as your “zoom
setting” as you would on a camera. The
smaller and tighter the scale the more detail you will find. The topo above has a scale of 1:24,000. A map of a national forest may have a scale
of 1:126,000. The forest map will not
have the detail but will cover considerably more area.
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