SLC S22W1 / Digital Cartography Basics

Hi Teacher,

It feels good to learn a lot from you in course of this lecture. I never liked Geography as a course but from your teachings it seem very interesting and educating. I know there is so much in stock for me here.

I have presented my homework below!

Make a freehand map of your country (It can be on paper, a computer or on your cell phone, the only condition is that it should not be traced. That is to say: The map does not have to be perfect)

Here, I present a freehand map of Nigeria on a paper. All states are not indicated since it's a freehand drawing.

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Inside the freehand map you made, locate where the capital of your country is and where the state / department / province where you live is.

The capital of my country Nigeria is Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Abuja. From the map, it is located at the center of the map and surrounded by Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and other states. I can just say that it is right at center of the map.

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I currently stay in the city of Lagos. Lagos is one of the largest states in Nigeria and highly populated too. From my freehand map, Lagos is located at the down left arm of the map. It is surrounded with other Yoruba states.

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Locate within the map you made, some states / departments / provinces you know by heart (Only those you know / remember at the time, don't fool yourself by cheating)

From the map, I have located about 15 States that I know and have being to. I have in one occasion or two visited these states in my country.

The shaded states in the map are the states I know by heart and have visited. They included; Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Imo, Abia, Kogi, Ebonyi, Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Edo, Ogun, Bayelsa, Kastina.

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Mention 3 places that you do not yet know about your country and that you would love to know and why.

There are many states in my country that I haven't visited or learned about yet. I would really like to explore them if I get the chance.

Three of the states I don't know are Sokoto, Kaduna, and Jigsaw. These are in the northern part of Nigeria. I want to learn about these states because I've heard that living costs, like housing and food, are quite low there.

I hope to visit these states one day to experience their lifestyle, see how people greet each other, and maybe learn some interesting cultural practices. I also want to buy some jewelry since it's much cheaper there.

I won't miss the chance to do all of this when I can travel. I enjoy traveling and plan to create my tour list soon.

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what is a map?

A map is a visual tool that represents certain features of a location, typically on a flat surface. Maps provide information about the world in an easy-to-understand format. Maps can illustrate how things are spread out across the Earth, like where people live. They can also pinpoint specific locations of homes and streets in a city area.

Cartographers are the people who make or design maps for various reasons. Weather scientists, known as meteorologists, rely on weather maps to make forecasts. City planners use maps to determine where to place hospitals and parks by showing land features and current land use. Scale, symbols and grids are some common features of a map

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In your opinion what are the most relevant elements to understand a map and why?

Maps play a crucial role in our daily lives as they assist us in finding our way, understanding, and describing the world around us. To create an effective map that communicates well, certain elements must be properly included throughout the map development process.

The Map Title

The title of the map indicates its main topic. It is typically found at the top of the map page, often in large letters for easy reading.

The Map Legend

A map legend, also known as the Key, is a complete list of all the symbols and their names used in a map. When making a legend, we often use symbols to represent features on the map, like a blue wavy line for a water stream or a dot for an electric pole. A map without a legend would be so difficult to understand because of the ambiguity of what each symbols stands for

The Map Scale

Scale shows as a fraction or ratio. Map scale helps us understand how much information or features are included on the map. The scale affects how much of the map's content we can see, whether on a screen or in print.

The Map Compass

The compass is a symbol that indicates the direction of north and south on a map. When the map is turned or shifted, the north arrow should also turn or shift with it.

Neatline and Frameline

It can be tricky to tell the difference between a Neatline and a Frameline and how they connect to a data frame on a map. Depending on the map maker's style, these terms can sometimes be used in place of each other.

In simple terms, a Neatline is the border that outlines and defines the edges of the mapped areas on the finished map while a Frameline is the border that surrounds all other elements on a map, including the Neatline.

With these elements available on a map, a traveler/ a reader is ble to communicate effectively with lasting with lasting impressions. These simple elements directs, instructs and helps a reader get a clearer view of whatever the map says. This way, the information is effectively communicated.

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In your opinion: Is cartography important or is it not that important? Why?

Cartography is both an art and a science focused on creating maps. It is important for several reasons:

Understanding locations
Maps allow people to see where things are and how they relate to each other. This is crucial for areas like economic growth, land management, and disaster response.

Visualizing data
Maps can make complex information easier to understand. They use colors and symbols to show ideas and data clearly.

Finding directions
Maps assist people in navigating their surroundings. For instance, they can help find the nearest store or the best route between two points.

Presenting information
Maps can illustrate detailed data, such as population statistics, economic trends, and urban development.

Cartographers gather and analyze geographic and physical information about an area, then create visual maps. They also revise existing maps with new information.

I invite @mariami @pandora2010 @tripple-a