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vegetated areas are shown in green. Minor roads and highways are shown in
black, while major highways are shown in red. Contour lines, which represent the
shape of the ground itself, are shown in brown. Recent revisions to the map are
shown in purple.
Fig. 1.2 Symbols on topographic maps
MAP SCALE
• What is the map scale? A map represents a given area on the ground. A
map scale refers to the relationship (or ratio) between distance on a map and the
corresponding distance on the ground. The map scale tells you about the
comparative size of features and distances displayed on the map.
• Which direction is north? This is important because the north point orients
the map to the real world.
• What symbols are used on the map? Have a look at the legend. To
understand the map you need to understand the symbols used. Features that
appear on maps with different scales may be depicted by different symbols.
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