General geographical map

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The general geographic map is the only map type for school lessons that contains a relatively complex, versatile geographic statement about the region shown. This multi-colored student or frontal map (also as a globe print ) contains, in addition to the outlines of the mainland, islands and seas, the water network and the relief as physical-geographical landscape elements, also essential elements of the anthropogenic sphere - such as administrative or state borders, settlements and traffic routes . There are also the names of states, landscapes, rivers / lakes and places.

Mark

Their main characteristic is the by hypsometric color surfaces and Geländeschummerung shown relief . This is why the general geographic maps are often - incorrectly and less accurately - referred to as "physical" maps, especially since they were originally (mid-19th century) by Emil von Sydow as oro - hydrographic maps with regional colors. At that time there were only two dominant map types in the consolidating school cartography: Political (state) maps and maps, which mainly depicted relief and hydrography .

The more or less applicable map subtitles “Elevation map” or “Physical overview map” etc. can also be found in the school cartographic forest.

Variation examples of the designation

The type of card "general geographic map" is more or less traditionally referred to in school book publishers, e.g. B .:

  • Joint publishing house Cornelsen / Volk und Wissen (Heimatatlas Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - Revised, Berlin 2009 ff.) As a "physical map"
  • Klett-Perthes publishing house (KombiAtlas Alexander, Gotha 2003 ff.) As a "height map"
  • Verlag Schroedel (Harms Weltatlas, Hannover 2001 ff.) As an "overview map"
  • Verlag Schroedel in Bildungshaus Schulbuchverlage (Harms Weltatlas, Braunschweig 2008 ff.) As a "physical overview map"
  • Verlag Westermann (Universal Atlas Diercke Drei, Braunschweig 2001 ff.) As a “physical overview map” (mostly as a “regional name - physical”).

Island map principle

Now and then (2011) one encounters the “island map principle”, in which the home region is shown “normally” in general geographical terms on the map sheet for better marking or outline recording, while the multicolored printing for the neighboring “surrounding area” is very muted or pale is.

advantages

In today's combined illustration of distinctive physical and anthropogeographic structures, the general geographic map offers the observer a predestined geospatial basis for orientation and a spatial source of information. This map type, developed in principle only for school lessons, allows the students a relatively versatile spatial description (general geographical information), so that the map can be used as a topographical basic or overview map or as a standard map for geography lessons and other subjects.

Mainly through them, supplemented or corrected also through the use of the globe, the students gain their “geospatial ideas” and their “topographical worldview” ( mental maps ), so that they often - even after school - “think in maps” when it comes to geospatial thought processes (e.g. a German holidaymaker goes “up” to Finland or “down” to Italy).

literature

  • Egon Breetz: The relief representation on general geographic and selected thematic maps for geography lessons. In: Potsdam Research. Series C, Issue 12, PH Potsdam 1973.
  • Egon Breetz: Design tips for the elements of water, political-administrative borders, settlements and traffic routes on general geographic school maps. In: Wiss. Magazine d. PH Potsdam. H. 3/1986, pp. 426-436.
  • Gerhard Pöhlmann: Physical maps or basic maps of school geography. In: F. Mayer (Hrsg.): Schulkartographie. (= Viennese writings on geography and cartography. Volume 5). Vienna 1992, pp. 290-302.

See also

Web links