Maps Class 6 Social Science Geography Chapter 4 CBSE Notes - 2025-26

Maps: 

Maps are a visual representation of the earth's surface or a portion of it on a flat surface, drawn to a scale. One drawback of maps is that they are flat surfaces, but the earth is round. This gives a globe an advantage over a map. Globes, on the other hand, are only beneficial for studying the entire planet. Globes are ineffective for studying only a portion of the planet, such as a single country or state, a district, towns, or villages. Maps come in handy in these instances.

Atlas: 

An atlas is a map book. It includes physical and political globe maps, as well as maps of many countries, states, and regions, as well as statistical and thematic maps for advanced learning and reference. An atlas not only aids in the location of a location on the globe, but also allows us to learn a great deal about that location, such as its distance from the equator, tropics, or poles, proximity to the sea, climatic conditions, drainage system, physical features, crops grown, and neighboring countries.

Types of Maps: 

Physical Maps: Relief maps are another name for physical maps. They depict the earth's natural features, such as mountains, plains, plateaus, oceans, rivers, and so on.

Political Maps: Political maps depict cities, towns, and villages in various countries and states with clearly defined borders.

Thematic Maps: Thematic maps focus on a certain piece of data, such as roads, rainfall distribution, forest distribution, industries, and so on. As a result, titles are assigned to such maps based on the information they contain.

Components of a Map: 

Distance, direction, and symbols are the three components of a map.

Distance: 

1. A two-dimensional representation of the earth is a map. On a small sheet of paper, it is a condensed version of the entire world or a portion of it. As a result, it's critical to pay close attention to how you depict the distance between two points on a map. This will assist us in determining the exact distance between those two locations.

2. In the study of maps, distance is a significant factor. Scales are determined by distances, which is critical for any map.

3. The scale is the proportion of real distance on the ground to the distance depicted on the map.

4. The scale aids in determining the actual distance between two spots on a map.

5. When huge areas, such as countries or continents, are depicted on a map, small scales are used, and these maps are referred to as small-scale maps.

6. When a tiny region, such as a village or town, needs to be depicted in great detail on a map, huge scales are used, and the maps are referred to as large-scale maps.

Direction: 

1. The cardinal points are the four major directions of North, South, East, and West.

2. There are also four intermediary routes. North-east, south-east, north-west, and south-west are the directions.

3. A compass is used to determine a location's direction. A compass is an instrument that determines the principal or intermediate directions of a location to another. When it is not in use, it has a magnetic needle that points north-south.

4. Travelers and sailors have used compasses since prehistoric times. It's a little circular box with a built-in magnetic needle.

Symbols: 

1. Symbols are employed to make map study easier, and features such as houses, bridges, trees, railway lines, roads, and other features are to be displayed on maps. Symbols are employed to do this.

2. Letters, hues, colors, drawings, and dotted lines on a map are all examples of symbols. Water bodies are depicted in blue, mountainous regions are depicted in brown, a plateau is depicted in yellow, and plains and flora are depicted in green.

Sketch: 

A sketch is a rough drawing made from memory and observation on the spot. Sketches do not have to be drawn to scale. They are preliminary sketches of a certain location that must be located with other areas. Sketch maps are hand-drawn sketches that do not have a scale.

Plan: 

A plan is a drawing that depicts a tiny area to a larger scale. Plans provide a wealth of information. The length and width of the room, for example, cannot be depicted on a map. We can use drawings created on a huge scale called a plan for this purpose.

Do you know?

1. Cartographers are professionals who create and design maps. Cartography is the study of maps.

2. Geographers employ map projection to draw the geoid-shaped on Earth on a two-dimensional piece of paper or cloth, which was developed in the mid-17th century.

There are a couple of other types of maps, such as:

Electronic Maps: Cartographers have made extensive use of computers as technology has advanced. They created maps using advanced technology and the Geographic Information System, or GIS. These maps provide far more precise information, such as wildlife distribution, demography, and rainfall distribution, in a far more efficient and analytical way. A car equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System, for example, can assist in route planning and track the user's whereabouts using satellites.

Topographic Maps: Topographic maps are distinguished by their high level of detail and quantitative depiction of relief elements. Contour lines are used to depict the altitude of a specific region. Landforms and terrain, drainage, vegetation cover, populous regions, administrative areas, transportation amenities, and other features are depicted on a big scale.

Scales come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The statement, representative fraction, and pictorial scales are the three types of scales.

Representative Fraction: A representative fraction is a scale with one as the numerator and the distance of the same unit on the denominator, which represents the distance on the actual ground.

Graphical Scale: A graphical scale is written in the form of a statement.

Verbal Scale: A graphical scale is printed in the form of a graduated line that depicts the ratio of the distance on the map to the ground distance.

Important Questions and Answers

1. Differentiate between a Map and a Plan.

Ans: The differences between a map and a plan are given below.

2. Why is a map preferred over a globe?

Ans: The world is depicted in three dimensions on globes. A map, on the other hand, is a representation of the earth in two dimensions. For educational purposes, however, maps are chosen over globes. This is because globes do not provide the same level of depth and information as maps. Because of its curved surface, the globe does not display distances. On this page, you'll find distances with appropriate scales on a map. A map is more convenient to use. The use of maps allows for a comparative study of two locations. This is impossible to achieve on a global scale. Industrial distribution, economical distribution, natural vegetation cover, and other elements are typically not included on globes.

3. What are thematic maps?

Ans: Thematic maps focus on a certain issue, such as forest distribution in a given area, rainfall distribution across the country, economic conditions, industry distribution, and so on.

Political boundaries, city locations, coastlines, and other features are used in these maps. They're crucial for instructional purposes.

4. What is the scale of a map? How is it useful?

Ans: The ratio of the actual distance between two places on the map to the distance displayed on the map is the scale of a map. When reading a map, scales are essential. They aid in the calculation of the map area, which in turn provides you with the area of the location on the actual ground surface. Scales are useful for reducing and enlarging maps.

5. What are the components of a map?

Ans: The following are the elements of a map:

• Distance: The term "distance" refers to an element or component of a map. Scales are used to calculate distances and are crucial for map study.

• Directions: Maps have four cardinal and four intermediate directions that aid in determining one's position with another. Compasses are used to determine a location's direction.

• Symbols: When reading a map, symbols are utilized. Colors, graphics, alphabets, numerals, and other symbols could be used.

6. How do symbols help in map reading?

Ans: Symbols are used to analyze maps. Buildings, bridges, railway lines, roads, and other features are difficult to depict on maps. As a result, symbols are employed. Letters, hues, colors, drawings, and dotted lines on a map are all examples of symbols. When it comes to the use of symbols on a global scale, there is a set of rules that must be observed. Water bodies are depicted in blue, mountainous regions are depicted in brown, a plateau is depicted in yellow, and plains and flora are depicted in green.

7. What are cardinal and intermediate directions?

Ans: The cardinal directions are the four main directions of North, South, East, and West. Between the two cardinal directions, there are four more directions. Intermediate directions are what they're called. North-west, south-east, north-east, and south-west are the intermediate directions. The cardinal and intermediate directions both aid in locating a location.

Conclusion 

Vedantu's free PDF notes on CBSE Class 6 Geography Chapter 4, "Maps," provide a valuable educational resource for young learners exploring the world of cartography. These notes offer a comprehensive understanding of maps and their significance, aligning seamlessly with the CBSE curriculum. Vedantu's commitment to providing accessible educational content empowers students to grasp the art and science of map-making with ease. These notes simplify complex concepts related to maps, encouraging students to develop a strong foundation in geography. By utilizing these resources, students can enhance their geographical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and overall academic performance, fostering a deeper appreciation for the indispensable role that maps play in understanding and navigating our world.