kartograf

A kartograf is a professional who designs, compiles, and updates maps and other geospatial representations. They convert geographic data into visual formats that communicate location, distance, and spatial relationships. Kartografi blends scientific methods with design principles and can involve fieldwork, data analysis, and geographic information systems. Kartographers work on topographic, thematic, nautical, cadastral, and digital maps, as well as interactive web maps and GIS products.

The practice has ancient roots in early mapmaking and developed through the ages with surveying, printing, and scientific disciplines. In contemporary work, digital cartography relies on tools such as GIS, remote sensing, GPS, lidar, and computer-aided design. Key tasks include selecting appropriate map projections and scales, choosing symbols, ensuring legibility, validating data quality, creating metadata, and delivering products that suit user needs and contexts.

Education and professional paths typically involve degrees in geography, geomatics, geodesy, or related fields, with training in cartography, spatial analysis, and programming. Ethical considerations emphasize accuracy, clarity, accessibility, and avoiding misrepresentation. Notable contributions in kartografi history include Gerardus Mercator and the development of projection systems; today, the field also emphasizes web mapping, open data, and participatory cartography.