MAPWORK
SKILLS
TERM 1
GRADE 9
THE FOLLOWING TOPICS WILL BE
DISCUSSED:
• Contour lines
• 1: 10 000 Orthophoto maps
• 1: 50 000 Topographical maps
• Information from maps and photographs
CONTOUR LINES:
WHAT IS A CONTOUR LINE?
A contour line is a line on a map that join all points of the same height
above sea level.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CONTOUR LINES:
• Contour lines are imaginary lines;
• Contour lines can never cross one another;
• Contour lines are represented as a brown line on a 1: 50 000
topographical map;
• Contour lines are continuous and closed lines (except if they
are at the side of the map);
• If the landscape is steep, the contour lines are close
together;
• Contour intervals indicate the difference in height between
successive contour lines;
• If the landscape is gentle, the contour lines are far apart;
• If the slope is uniform, the contour lines are evenly spaced;
• Contour lines can join to form a single contour line only
where there is a vertical cliff;
• Contour lines never split.
CONTOUR PATTERNS:
GENTLE SLOPES:
• Contour lines are far apart;
• This even spacing is maintained in both up and down slope.
STEEP SLOPE:
• Contour lines are close together;
• This even spacing is maintained in both up and down slope.
CONCAVE SLOPE:
• When the contour lines are close together at the top of the hill and
gentle at the bottom;
• A slope which becomes progressively steeper uphill.
• On a map the Contour lines will be spaced closer with an increase in
height above sea-level.
CONVEX SLOPE:
• When the contour lines are gentle at the top of the hill and close
together at the bottom, this indicate a convex slope;
• A slope which becomes progressively steeper downhill;
• On a map the contour lines will be spaced closer together with a
decline in height above sea-level.
RIVER VALLEYS:
• A valley is formed due to flowing water and result into a V – shaped
landform;
• The V- shape point towards the higher ground (bigger contour
interval).
• In the case of a river valley, the greatest height is to the outer side
and the land sinks down towards the inner side, where the riverbed
is.
SPUR:
• A long, gently sloping strip of ground that runs down from a hill to
lower ground;
• A spur is formed between two river valleys;
• The greatest height is to the inner side and the land sinks down
towards the outer side of the spur.
HILL:
A point or small area of high ground. When you are on a hilltop, the
ground slopes down in all directions.
RIDGE:
A line of high ground with height variations along its crest. The ridge
is not simply a line of hills; all points of the ridge crest are higher than
the ground on both sides of the ridge.
ORTHOPHOTO MAP:
ORTHOPHOTO MAPS ARE MADE FROM AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS.
TYPES OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS:
1. Vertical aerial photographs:
• Photo is taken from an aeroplane which is flying directly over the
landscape;
• Photo is taken at a 90° angle;
• Shows the top view of the landscape;
• Has a bigger scale;
• Usually printed in black and white to save costs;
• Help to map large and inaccessible areas.
II. Oblique aerial photographs:
• Photographs that are taken from high above the ground at an angle that is not
vertical to the ground.
• Two types of oblique aerial photographs:
HIGH OBLIQUE PHOTO LOW OBLIQUE PHOTO
Horizon is visible on the photo. Horizon is not visible on the photo.
Shows a big area. Shows a specific image of an area.
Images are distorted when landscape is far from the Images are clear.
lens.
HOW ORTHOPHOTO MAPS ARE MADE:
• Orthophoto maps are made from aerial photographs.
• Map information like the names of streets and dams are added to the
orthophoto.
• Contour lines are superimposed on the photo to provide height of
the area or landscape;
• Orthophotos maps are therefore a combination of a photo and a map;
• Digital mapping cameras are used where the camera is flown over an
area and the images are recorded and corrected according to scale;
• The scale of an orthophoto map is 1 : 10000, which means
that 1 cm on the map represent 10 000 cm on the ground.
CONTOUR LINES AND ORTHOPHOTO
MAPS:
• Contour intervals on orthophoto maps are 5 meter;
• Height on a orthophoto map is indicated as follows:
Trigonometrical
station
Spot heights
Bench marks
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP:
• Topographical maps are maps that are drawn from an aerial
photograph;
• Maps are made from different layers (data layering) like land
use zones, water resources, contour lines etc.
• Has a 1 : 50 000 scale which mean that 1 cm on the map
represent 50 000 cm on the ground;
• Scale is smaller than a orthophoto map therefore less detail
is available;
• Features on a map is represented with symbols.
MAP SYMBOLS:
Three types of map symbols:
1. Line symbols: Represent lines on maps like roads, powerlines, railway
etc.
2. Point symbols: Represent point on maps like post office, police station,
buildings, shops etc.
3. Polygon/area symbols: Represent areas on maps like dams, recreational
parks, golf courses
FEATURES ON A TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP:
NATURAL FEATURES:
Any feature that appears naturally:
• Ocean, natural bays and shores;
• Islands
• Rivers, lakes and dams
• Bushes, vegetation and forests
Represented as blue areas (water resources) , brown lines (
contour lines) and green areas (natural vegetation like bushes
or forestry)
CONSTRUCTED (MAN MADE) FEATURES:
Any feature that is constructed on natural areas:
• Transport and infrastructures;
• Dam wall and dams;
• Cultivated land and purification
plants;
• Buildings and heritage sites.
Represented as black and grey lines,
grey areas, black symbols, green areas
that indicate cultivated lands, blue lines that indicate canals, blue
symbols and red lines.
MEASURING DISTANCE:
TYPES OF SCALES:
1. LINE SCALE:
2. WORD SCALE:
3. RATIO SCALE:
CALCULATION DISTANCE WITH WORD OR
RATIO SCALE:
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP ORTHOPHOTO MAP
Answer in km x 0,5 x 0,1
Answer in m x 500 x 100
Step 1: Measure the distance between the two points in
centimeter.
Step 2: Note the unit that the answer must be in. Make use
of the above table and the following formula:
Map distance = Distance x scale
EXAMPLE:
Calculate the distance between point A and B on a topographical map in km.
Step 1 (Measure the distance) = 4,8 cm
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP ORTHOPHOTO MAP
Answer in km x 0,5 x 0,1
Answer in m x 500 x 100
Step 2 (Times the distance with the scale) = 4,8 x 0,5 = 2,4 km
INFORMATION FROM AERIAL
PHOTOGRAPHS AND MAPS:
The following information can be interpreted from
photographs and maps:
• The type of landform;
• The relief of the landform;
• Drainage patterns, drainage density and drainage distribution;
• Describe the settlement type: Urban or rural;
• Describe if the settlement is nucleated or dispersed;
• Describe the site and situation of a settlement;
• Indicate what the land is being used for.
