This necessarily entails some degree of distortion, which can be dealt with by utilizing projections that minimize distortion in certain areas. One problem in creating maps is the simple reality that the surface of the Earth, a curved surface in three-dimensional space, must be represented in two dimensions as a flat surface. And it is always a result of artistic and technical judgments, creating something both useful and, occasionally, beautiful. A map is both more, and less, than simply geographical or physical space. A map must provide accuracy and in the best of solutions, an inventive presentation of data or analysis of data, but always in a form that is readily comprehensible and inviting to the reader. The aesthetics of any given map will always be a critical component essential to the conveyance of information. The discipline of cartography combines science, aesthetics, and technical ability to create a balanced and readable representation that is capable of communicating information effectively and quickly.Ĭartography, however mechanized it becomes, remains both a science and an art. A celestial map from the seventeenth century, by the Dutch cartographer Frederik de Wit.Ĭartography or mapmaking (in Greek chartis - map and graphein - write) is the study and practice of making representations of the Earth on a flat surface.
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