Scale

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
  
 principal scale principal scale