The Same Place at Different Scales

The Same Place at Different Scales

A map cannot show a place exactly as it appears on the ground. Its scale determines how distances are reduced and, therefore, which features can be represented clearly. Scale expresses the relationship between a distance on the map and the corresponding distance on the ground. At 1:10,000, one centimetre represents 100 metres, whereas at 1:1,000,000 it represents 10 kilometres.

A large-scale map, such as 1:10,000, shows a smaller area in greater detail. It may include individual streets, buildings and footpaths. By contrast, a small-scale map covers a much larger area but provides less detail. A national map might show major cities and motorways while leaving out local roads. The term “large scale” refers to the larger fraction, not to the physical size of the sheet.

When scale becomes smaller, there is less room for each feature. To keep it readable, the cartographer must select, simplify or combine features. A winding road may become a smoother line, while individual buildings may be replaced by one shaded area. This does not mean that the missing features have disappeared. It means that the map has a different purpose. Enlarging a small-scale printed map makes its symbols bigger, but it does not restore details that were never included.