ATLAS - a book or collection of maps that can be used to find information about your world.

The earliest historical evidence of atlases being compiled is found in China in the third
century. In Europe, however, it happened during the Renaissance period. In 1570, Abraham
Ortelius (1527-1598) published the first modern atlas, called Theatrum Orbis Terrarum
The term “Atlas” appeared after the posthumous publication of Gerard Mercator’s
Atlassive Cosmographicae meditations de Fabrica Mundi et fabricate figura in 1595. Titan Atlas
– mythical king –is depicted holding up Earth on the cover page. The First Atlases published in
English were Epitome and the Theatrum in 1601.

Key features in an Atlas:

 Map keys or legend – map keys gives you information needed for the map to make
sense. Maps often use for symbols or colors to represent things. And map keys explain
what each symbol of the map means.
  Compass Rose – sometimes it is called a wind rose or rose of the winds. It is a drawing
showing directions on a map and found somewhere on the edge of the map. It also shoes
the four cardinal directions which are the NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST.

Various types of maps includes in an Atlas:

 Road maps – show major and some minor highways and roads, airports, railroads tracks
cities, and other points of interest in an area

 Political maps – show governmental boundaries of countries, states and countries the
location of major cities and they usually include significant bodies of water.

 Physical maps – show country boarders, major cities and significant bodies of water

 Climate maps – it is a special type of maps which we use to represent the climatic
regions of geographical territory.

Prepared by: Macalinga, May-Ann R.

BEED III- G
Prepared to: Mr. Ariel Ramos
Instructor
Developmental Reading