Mapping and Cartography

Cartography is the skill of making maps. Maps help people understand the shape of the land, find their way, and learn about the world. People have been making maps for thousands of years. Today, maps are made using satellites and computers, but they are still just as important as ever.

The History of Maps

Some of the oldest maps were drawn on clay tablets thousands of years ago. Ancient Greeks made some of the first maps of the known world. As explorers sailed to new places, maps got better and more detailed. Mapmakers added new lands, oceans, and mountains as they were discovered.

Modern Mapmaking

Today, satellites take pictures of Earth from space. Computers turn these pictures into detailed maps. Anyone can look at a map of almost any place on Earth using a phone or computer. Scientists use maps to track weather, study forests, and plan cities. Maps are more powerful and useful than ever before.

Fun Facts

• The oldest known map is about 14,000 years old and was carved on a cave wall in Spain.
• Early mapmakers sometimes drew sea monsters on parts of the ocean they had not explored.
• Google Maps has images of more than 220 countries and territories.

Did You Know?

In the 1500s, mapmaker Gerardus Mercator created a map style that is still used in classrooms today.