Navigation Maps
Navigation maps are used to navigate from one point to another. On this site, you will learn about navigation maps, their components, and innovations in navigation maps. Navigation maps are made by cartographers. Cartographers survey land and water to make accurate navigation maps. With the use of historical documents, photographs, satellite images, and on-site visits, cartographers are able to make precise calculations for producing navigation maps. There are many uses for navigation maps. Complex navigation maps include nautical maps and aeronautical maps. More common navigation maps include city maps and hiking maps. Regardless of the kind of map, there are many common features used by all maps.
Navigating Navigation Maps
Navigation maps have a number of components that make them accurate. Scales are used to determine the accuracy of the map. Scales determine the proportional relationship between map distances and actual distances. Another component of navigation maps is the compass. Compasses are used to aid users in directing their path. Depending on the type of map, navigation maps may include keys to define symbols, colors, and other etchings on the map. Most maps make use of landmarks to help people navigate their way.
Navigation Maps Today
Before the turn of the twenty-first century, navigation maps were usually made on paper. Today, navigation maps are usually created with computer-aided design software. Such software allows cartographers to create more precise and more complex navigation maps. People can also create their own navigation maps with the use of images and satellite pictures from the Internet. The most common use of navigation maps these days is through the use of GPS navigation systems.
