When you’re looking for a place on a map, there are a lot of different ways to get there. It can be difficult to find the right one. Let North Arrow On A Map be your guide.
North Arrow is the best place marker in the world. With a map having North Arrow, not only can you find where you need to go, but also find great places to visit.
North Arrow is a reference point that is often misunderstood. Find out its true meaning and how it points to the true north, with this helpful guide!
What Is The North Arrow And The Importance of The North Arrow On Map?
The North Arrow is a map symbol (graphical representation) that points north of an area. It is also known as the compass arrow or the two-headed arrow. It is used to show the right direction.
You can use any one of the listed north arrows on your map:
- True North: It points to the geographical north pole.
- Magnetic North: It points to the magnetic north pole.
- Grid North: These are mainly used in topographic maps. It points to the north along the gridline which is parallel to the prime meridian.
The North arrow was a directional tool that helped sailors to find their way when they were too far out at sea and they couldn’t see any other landmarks.
It is usually found in maps that have a compass rose, such as military, topological and some nautical charts.
As North is always used to define all other directions, this makes it more important.
Where Should The North Arrow Be On A Map?
This is a question that has been debating for a long time, and there are many different answers.
The North Arrow in some maps points to the right, while in others it points to the left.
The map is not wrong. Some people believe that the North Arrow should point north (magnetic north). It is set as such to help you find your way back home.
Why Is The North Always The Top-most Point On Maps?
Maps are a 2-dimensional representation of the Earth. In order to keep it simple, mapmakers have always drawn the North as the topmost point on the compass.
The mapmakers decided to place North as the topmost point on a map because of its simplicity and plainness.
The Reasons Behind the Use of North Arrow On A Map At Top Most Point:
The following are the reasons why people use north as the top-most point on maps:
- North is a basic direction that can be found on every compass and is the most straightforward direction to follow.
- The ancient Greeks were the first to start using this convention with their maps, and during the Middle Ages, it was common for cartographers in Europe to orient their maps northward.
- In the modern-day, many people still use this convention, including companies who make GPS or other electronic devices that need a defined “north.”
- To avoid confusion, many mapmakers have designated north as the top-most point in their maps and coordinate grids with 0 degrees as an orientation of the North-South Pole – which is also called “True North.”
Do You Always Need A North Arrow On Your Map?
The answer to the question is no, we don’t always need a north arrow on a map.
For example, if the map is of the Earth and has an obvious north direction, then you don’t need a north arrow. However, if it’s Mars or another planet/country that doesn’t have an obvious north direction, then you would need a north arrow on your map.
Conclusion:
Maps provide an accurate representation of spaces, routes, and territories.
Maps are one of man’s greatest inventions and have been used since ancient times to depict geographical spaces and directions as well as to show distances between points in a territory.