Study & Master

Support Pack | Grade 12

CAPS

Geography
Mapwork Skills

This support pack for the Mapwork Skills topic in the

Geography Grade 12 CAPS curriculum provides valuable
practical activities. All activities have the answers provided.
Learners can work through these individually at home or
these could form the basis of a catch-up class or online lesson.
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 Mapwork Skills

Mapwork techniques
1. A map is a reduced representation of reality.
2. Maps are either drawn on paper or produced digitally.
3. Maps show reality in two dimensions. If we want to represent the third dimension (height or altitude) we have to
use contour lines or spot heights.
4. On many maps (including synoptic maps) it is not necessary to show altitude. However, symbols are needed
to represent other information on the map.

Interpreting weather- and climate-related data

1. A synoptic weather map provides a summary of weather conditions over a particular area at a particular
time.
2. Synoptic charts, satellite images and other data give us valuable information about the weather and
climate.
3. To make a weather forecast, forecasters examine a series of synoptic charts and compare them to satellite
images and data from weather stations and weather balloons.
4. Synoptic charts show weather-related data only and include isobars, station models (the symbols that show
a variety of conditions) and weather features.
5. Satellite images are remotely sensed. This means that there is no contact between the sensor in the satellite
and the item being sensed (e.g. the Earth’s surface).
6. Satellite images are digital images captured by sensors in satellites that orbit the Earth.
7. Meteosat satellites are weather satellites and their sensors capture images of large areas.
8. Satellite sensors don’t just capture images; data is also collected from outside the visible light spectrum, for
instance, infrared.
A

28
L 24
7
30
25 10
14
2 27
3
22
6 Harare
101
2
Mowe 21
3 25 27
27
21
L
7 5
Bulawayo Beira Atananarivo
14 26
-8 4 1016
14
Walvis Bay 19 -12 Windhoek
0
16 25 22
14 -11 4 5 26
7 10
Gaborone
18
7
Pretoria 28
17
10 Luderitz 12 13
18
12
Maputo
2
-2 -14 25
6 21
13 0 6
-4 18
16
10
10
2
Upington 4
2
11

8
13
9
8 -3 6
-3
Bloemfontein
0
10
2 4 Durban
3 5
8
1
17
5
-3
L
1008 22
7
17
9

Cape Town 11 Port Elizabeth

14 8
6

1012

H
15
9

0
104
1016
1036

1032
1028
1020
Gough 1024
15
12 1024
1028
8 50
102
-10 1028 1016
102
4 8
H
102
2
1012
0 3
0
1016
L 1008
Crozet

S T U DY & M A S T E R M a p wo r k S k i l l s 1
B
Symbols used on synoptic weather charts
WEATHER CLOUD COVER WIND SPEED
in eighths of sky covered
rain calm
None
1–2 knots
drizzle
1 5 knots
showers 10 knots
2 15 knots
snow
20 knots
3
hail 25 knots
30 knots
4
fog 50 knots
5 65 knots
duststorm
knots x 1.8 = km/h
thunderstorm 6
cold front
thunderstorm with hail 7 warm front
weather for preceding
hour but not at time 8 occluded front
of observation

tail shows
wind direction 12 overcast
10

maximum temperature 17 clear skies feather lines show

minimum temperature 5 wind strength:
long line = 10 knots
short line = 5 knots

Figure 1 (a) An example of a synoptic weather map (chart) and (b) the symbols used on a synoptic map and (c) the interpretation of important symbols

Figure 2 Meteosat image of cloud cover as a cold front passed over South Africa on 12 July 2012. Note the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space in
the bottom right corner

2 S T U DY & M A S T E R S C H O O L S H U T D OW N S U P P O R T
Map and photo interpretation: analysing physical and
constructed features
In climatology and geomorphology, we are more interested in physical (natural) features than in constructed
(human-made) features.
Here is a summary of the typical physical features that geographers examine and interpret:

Type of feature Where found or branch of physical geography Significance

Weather phenomena such as fronts, Climatology: synoptic maps, vertical aerial photographs, Weather forecasting
temperate cyclones, tropical cyclones and remotely sensed images Hazard prediction
Flood risk
Long-term weather
predictions
Climate change studies
Landforms such as mountains, hills, Geomorphology: topographical maps, oblique Planning
valleys, rivers, lakes and many more photographs, vertical aerial photographs, orthophoto Construction
maps, satellite images Hazard prediction
Slope management
Flood risk management
Vegetation types and distribution Biogeography: vertical aerial photographs, orthophoto Planning
maps, satellite images Plant inventories
Habitat protection
Soil mapping and soil types Soil geography: topographical maps, oblique Planning
photographs, vertical aerial photographs, orthophoto Engineering
maps, satellite images Soil inventories
Agriculture and forestry
Erosion studies
Ocean currents and sea surface Oceanography and climatology: maps, vertical aerial Weather forecasting
temperatures photographs, satellite images Hazard prediction
Long-term weather
predictions
Climate change studies
Global warming studies
Habitat protection
Fisheries
Water (surface and underground) Hydrology, geomorphology: topographical maps, oblique Water resource
photographs, vertical aerial photographs, orthophoto management
maps, satellite images Agriculture
Salinisation studies
Hazard prevention
Planning
Dams and water storage
Underground water
potential
Aquifers
Table 1 Summary of the typical physical features that geographers examine and interpret

S T U DY & M A S T E R M a p wo r k S k i l l s 3
Scale, contours and cross-sections
1. Scale (linear, word or ratio) is one of the most important concepts in map-making.
2. The scale found on a 1: 50 000 topographical map is an example of a linear scale.
3. There are two important advantages to linear scales:
• Distances can be quickly determined by measuring between two points on the map and comparing them
directly to the scale line.
• If the map is enlarged or reduced, the scale remains true because the scale line is also being enlarged or re-
duced.

1 000 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
metres kilometres
linear scale
Figure 3 Linear scale from
from aa 1:1 :5050000
000topographical
topographicalmap
map

4. Word scales are not often used today.

5. An example would be the statement: One centimetre represents five kilometres.
6. A ratio scale also involves measuring a distance between two points on the map.
7. A ratio scale will not remain accurate if the map is enlarged or reduced. An example of a ratio scale is:
1: 50 000.
8. Example: Distance on the map between two points is measured and found to be 8,4 cm.
8,4 × 50 000 = 420 000 cm = 4,2 km*
*To convert centimetres (cm) to kilometres (km), move the decimal five places to the left.

Map and photo interpretation: reading and analysing features

1. In settlement geography, map and photo interpretation is just as important as in physical geography.
2. Settlements are often influenced by physical features (slope steepness, soil, availability of water, avoidance of
marshy areas and wetlands), so you must be able to read and analyse physical features in the landscape.
3. Constructed features are those things which humans place (build) on the landscape to serve their needs.
4. Communications and transport (telephone lines, roads, railways), power lines, dams, and the settlements
themselves are examples of constructed features.
5. The below extract clearly shows physical features, as well as urban and rural settlements, roads and railways.
6. The key in Figure 5 can be used to identify these features.

4 S T U DY & M A S T E R S C H O O L S H U T D OW N S U P P O R T
Figure 4 1:50 000 topographical map sheet 3030CB Port Shepstone (not to scale)

S T U DY & M A S T E R M a p wo r k S k i l l s 5
Figure 5 Topographical map symbols

Exam practice
You need to practise converting scales from linear to word (statement) to ratios. Scales and distances are important
in settlement geography, not just in physical geography, because of what they can tell us about the location,
distribution, and relative closeness/distance of human features on a map or orthophoto map.

Terms with similar meaning

• linear scale = line scale
• word scale = statement of scale
• ratio scale = representative fraction

Consolidation of map skills from Grades 10, 11 and 12

Mapwork is all about skills and techniques. The more you practise, the easier it becomes to work with maps,
photographs, aerial photographs, orthophoto maps and satellite images. You are expected to be familiar with these
geographical sources from Grade 10 Geography, through Grade 11 Geography, and on until the end of Grade 12
Geography.

Map and photo interpretation: reading and analysing features

Applying map-reading skills
Isolines are sometimes used on demographic (population) and economic maps. Isolines are simply lines joining
points of equal value, while a contour line joins points of equal height. Examples of isoline maps in human
geography might include lines used to identify equal:
• population density
• income
• production.

6 S T U DY & M A S T E R S C H O O L S H U T D OW N S U P P O R T
A visual spatial representation is often more useful than lots of data or statistics.

CBD

income per month

<R3 000 R10 000–R20 000

R3 000–R10 000 >R20 000 2 km

Figure 6 Income distribution around the CBD of a hypothetical city

S T U DY & M A S T E R M a p wo r k S k i l l s 7