Definition of a general purpose map?

Answer 1

A general purpose map is a map that shows a variety of information about a place.General Purpose Map - A map that represents spatial information.

Examples: Street Maps, City Maps.

Purpose: To understand your surroundings. Too know where you're going or going too investigate/research.

-Geography

Answer 2

The first of many types of maps encountered by social studies students is the general purpose map. Maps can show thousands of features of the human and physical geography of the earth.

Routes Are Easy To Plan

General purpose maps show common features of land such as roads and political boundaries. The most common general purpose map is the road map.

Attractions Are Easily Found

General purpose maps show many points of interest. Users can find parks, national forests, cemeteries, churches and many other destinations.

Planning a Trip Is Simple

Travelers find general maps useful for planning trips, as distances are shown. Other symbols on the map will indicate information that will be useful in trip planning, such as national parks and recreation areas.

Political Boundaries Are Shown

Those traveling longer distances are likely to encounter political boundaries. Traveling safely and easily depends on knowing where a political boundary between a state or country is located. Travelers can prepare proper documents when boundaries are known.

Major Physical Features Are Shown

The proper use of general purpose maps improve the traveler's knowledge of the geographical and political nature of a destination. That information will allow for planning a safe, useful and enjoyable trip.

Source:

The Eastern Hemisphere-Geography: Globes and Maps

National Geographic: Mapmaking Guide

Geography World Online: Geography Handbook

More Information:

National Geographic

United States Geological Survey

Answer 3

The process of selecting and representing information on a map in a way that adapts to the scale of the display medium of the map. In this way, every map has, to some extent, been generalized to match the criteria of display. This includes small-scale maps, which cannot convey every detail of the real world. Cartographers must decide and then adjust the content within their maps to create a suitable and useful map that conveys geospatial information within their representation of the world. Generalized maps are meant to be context-specific. This is to say that correctly generalized maps are those that emphasize the most important map elements while still representing the world in the most faithful and recognizable way. The level of detail and importance in what is remaining on the map must outweigh the insignificance of items that were generalized, as to preserve the distinguishing characteristics of what makes the map useful and important.

Answer 4

general reference maps