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Geographical Skills

Reading thematic maps for physical and human associations

  • 3 things to know
  • All three papers

Overview

What a thematic map shows, finding positive and negative associations between two mapped patterns, the physical and human factors such maps display, why a match does not prove cause, and handling places that do not fit.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is a thematic map?

Key term

What does it mean to find an association between two mapped patterns?

Key term

Which physical factors most often explain a low population density on a thematic map?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is a thematic map?

    Model answer

    A map showing one chosen subject across an area, such as rainfall, population density or average income, rather than general features.

  2. 2

    What does it mean to find an association between two mapped patterns?

    Model answer

    To show that where one is high the other is also high, or consistently low, so the two appear to be linked.

  3. 3

    How would you go about comparing two thematic maps of the same area?

    Model answer

    Place them side by side or overlay them, then look for areas where the high values on one fall in the same places as the high values on the other.

  4. 4

    Which physical factors most often explain a low population density on a thematic map?

    Model answer

    Difficult conditions such as high steep relief, a very cold or very dry climate, or thin infertile soils.

  5. 5

    Give four human factors that a thematic map might show.

    Model answer

    Population density, average income, unemployment and life expectancy.

  6. 6

    Why does a matching pattern on two maps not prove that one causes the other?

    Model answer

    Both may be caused by some third factor, or the match may be coincidence, so maps can only suggest a link.

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