Ratio between a distance onto a map and the real distance in nature. The scale is illustrated on maps by displaying a bar chart at which the natural lengths are shown.
Examples:
1 : 10,000 (large scale) means
1 cm onto the map comply with 10,000 cm (= 100 m) in nature.
1 : 5,000,000 (small scale) means
1 cm onto the map comply with 5,000,000 cm (= 50 km) in nature.
In maps with a large scale the displayed geographical facts of the Earth's surface are shown approximately exact (scale-preserving) – depending on the reduction rate. In maps of small scale this is no longer possible because of the mapping distortion.
See also | |
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principal scale |