Cartography

Cartography is about maps. This includes the art, science and technology of map making, the use
of maps as research tools and as sources of information, and the study of maps as historical
documents and works of art.
Maps have been produced and used for several thousand years. The earliest surviving examples
from western civilization come from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Egyptian geometers made
cadastral maps showing property boundaries so that these could be reestablished after the annual
flooding of the !ile "iver. #n Mesopotamia, maps were $drawn$ on clay tablets and depicted the
Mesopotamian world at a variety of scales ranging from maps of individual settlements to maps
of the known world which was represented as a land mass surrounded by a circumfluent ocean.
Eastern cartographic traditions also have ancient roots with Chinese maps dating from %&&&
years ago.
Cartography has evolved in response to theoretical developments, technological changes, and
changes in society's information needs. Theories about the shape of the Earth and the
development of coordinate systems by ancient (reek philosophers paved the way for systematic
mapping of the Earth's surface using map pro)ections to transform positions on the
approximately spherical surface of the Earth into locations on a flat map. #nvention of the
printing press made it possible to produce multiple copies of maps and stimulated production of
maps and atlases. This occurred at a time when European knowledge of the world was expanding
rapidly. European exploration was aided by the invention of the compass and the pendulum clock
and observation of the position and movement of the stars, all of which allowed for more precise
measurement of location. This new spatial knowledge was incorporated into maps of the
*mericas, *frica and *sia. #nvention of the theodolite which made possible accurate
measurement of elevation as well as horizontal position led to development of survey control
networks and provided the basis for topographic mapping. Modern topographic maps are
produced using aerial photographs and photogrammetry but still rely on precise survey of ground
control points to ensure positional accuracy. +owever, not all maps are concerned with locations
of physical features. Thematic mapping expanded rapidly following the introduction of decennial
censuses and other surveys which made available extensive demographic and socioeconomic
data.
The past two decades have seen dramatic changes in Cartography as a result of developments in
computer and communication technologies. Earth observation satellites now provide regular
coverage of the Earth's surface at a variety of spatial resolutions ranging from a few meters to
several kilometers. ,atellite based geographic positioning systems -(.,/ allow precise
determination of horizontal and vertical position to within 01.2cm using the best -and most
expensive/ e3uipment currently available. Computer mapping systems have evolved into
geographic information systems which are widely used in planning, resource management, and
facilities management applications. #n the past five years, development of desktop mapping
technologies and internet access to electronic datasets have made powerful map making
technology available to anyone with a personal computer. ,ome maps are still produced using
manual drafting techni3ues but this is fast becoming a thing of the past.
-4rom5 Introduction to Cartography and Remote Sensing, Dr. Douglas J. Dudycha, 6epartment
of (eography, 4aculty of Environmental ,tudies, 7niversity of 8aterloo/