A map scale is the relationship between a distance on a map and the corresponding distance on the earth. Map scale may be expressed as an equivalence, usually by different units (e.g., 1inch = 1mile or 1:63,360); or graphically, as a bar scale. Large scale maps make each feature look larger, and show a smaller geographic area. Small scale maps make each feature look smaller, and show a larger geographic area.
What is map scale? The map on the left is a large scale map of New York City where every map feature is drawn 1/63,360 the actual size on the earth. The map on the right is a smaller scale map of New York where every map feature is 1/12,672,000 the actual size on the earth.
There are three common ways to depict a map's scale:
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