Political Maps

Maps are incredibly useful tools for conveying information about a particular place or region. Complicated ideas can be reduced to generalized imagery, making difficult ideas easier for the average person to grasp. This, of course, is not without disadvantage. Maps are often employed for political ends, which in and of itself is not a bad thing. The problem is that politically charged maps are created with a clear purpose and intended message. Political maps can be used to define a particular issue or persuade the public towards a certain position. Maps are ideal for political use, because they are credible and easy to understand. By this, I mean maps are considered a legitimate source of information. Below is an example of a map with a political purpose.

This map was created by an individual interested in tracking terrorist activity. The subject matter of this map is political by itself, but clearly, the mapmaker has a political message in mind. Note the symbolization. The author is tracking Al-Qaeda and the “Axis of Evil.” This is significant, because the author singles out a terrorist organization that has history with the United States and uses George W. Bush’s threat-constructing nickname for a host of countries he considers enemies of the United States. Clearly, this map is ethnocentric in content and made in support of the “War on Terror.”

Political maps can be useful and legitimate sources of information, but it is important to be wary of politically motivated maps.

Mapping Technology

Mapping technology is a broad topic area for discussion, because it encompasses a variety of tools and software programs. For the lay map user, the first thing that comes to mind might be virtual mapping resources, like Mapquest or Google Earth. For the cartographer, other technology comes to mind. Most notably: GIS, Map Viewer, Illustrator, and mapping tools, like GPS. Rather than speaking to the merits or weaknesses of any particular type of mapping technology, I’d like to comment on what technology means for cartography. First, the growing use and development of technology for cartographic design indicates a dramatic change in how our world is portrayed. Mapmaking began with the most primitive tools and designs. There was little standardization, and accuracy was wanting. As time has progressed, cartographers have developed tools to standardize and improve accuracy. Pen and paper is certainly a thing of the past. Today, almost anyone is capable of creating a map. Mapmaking technology has simplified the cartographic process. Mapmaking technology has also improved the accessiblity and utility of maps. Maps are everywhere; classrooms, stores, the internet. Not only are maps everywhere, thanks to technology, they are interactive. Modern mapmaking technology allows the mapmaker to make maps more informative and more useful to the average user.


The interactive map above is a great example of mapping technology’s utility. The map above tracks a bike rider’s path around the Iberian Peninsula. The mapviewer can click on different points in order to learn more about that location.

3D Cartography

3D Cartography is a developing area of cartographic design that has entered the mainstream through popular software programs, like Google Earth. 3D Cartography has unique benefits that cannot be replicated via traditional cartographic design. First, 3D Cartography provides a more detailed representation of an area. Google Earth maps display the map from every angle, and more importantly, can be zoomed as far/close away as the map viewer desires. Second, 3D Cartography provides better context for the map viewer. Because Google Earth, and other software programs, use satellite imagery, the map viewer is able to see the location of a city, state, country relative to the rest of the world with greater ease and greater accuracy. Traditional cartographic maps utilize projections that provide accuracy for one area at the expense of an area. 3D Cartography eliminates this problem, because the location is being projected in its original form.

The image above is a screen capture from Google Earth’s 3D imaging database. The image is a view of Manhattan in New York City. Clearly, Google Earth, and other 3D Cartographic programs, are superior in their unique ability to create a sense of place in their imagery. This image, for instance, depicts the buildings, road systems, and water bodies of Manhattan. Being able to see these features in 3D allows the map viewer to gain a sense of what locales are like in reality.