Scale (map)

The scale of a map is the ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding distance on the ground. This simple concept is complicated by the curvature of the Earth's surface, which forces scale to vary across a map. Because of this variation, the concept of scale becomes meaningful in two distinct ways.

Back to Maps & Coordinates →

Source: Wikipedia · Image: Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

TOROUTE

Navigation and route-planning, made practical — plain-English guides to GPS and satellite positioning, maps and coordinates, and the geo calculators every driver, hiker, and route planner reaches for.

Get new guides by emailOccasional emails. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

InformationAbout Contact Privacy Policy Terms of Service Disclaimer Affiliate Disclosure Cookie Policy

Every museum entry, image, and fact is drawn from Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, used under public-domain and Creative Commons licenses. No content is AI-generated.