mapa

Mapa is the Spanish word for map, and in broader usage it refers to a diagram or representation of a geographic area designed to convey spatial information. A map simplifies real world features such as terrain, political boundaries, roads, and resources to communicate location and relationships. The history of cartography spans many cultures, from ancient road maps and world maps in Mesopotamia and Greece to Islamic and later European cartography that integrated mathematical projections and standardized grids. The printing press and later digital technologies expanded mapmaking, enabling detailed topographic, political, nautical, and thematic maps.

Maps vary by purpose: topographic maps emphasize elevation and terrain; political maps show borders and settlements; thematic maps illustrate phenomena such as climate, demographics, or land use; nautical charts guide navigation at sea; while digital maps can be interactive and updatable. Key map components include a scale, a legend (or key), a north indicator, and a grid or coordinate system. Cartographers choose projections to balance distortions in area, shape, distance, and direction, depending on use.

Data for maps derive from surveys, satellites, aerial imagery, and crowdsourced sources. Modern mapmaking relies on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and web platforms such as online map services. Maps are widely used in education, planning, science, and daily navigation, and they raise considerations about accuracy, representation, and bias in how information is displayed.