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| Geography / cartography |
Geography / cartography
The geography
Geography is the science of knowing the current, natural and human aspects of the Earth's surface.The geography allows us to understand the spatial organization of phenomena (physical or human) that manifest themselves in our environment and shape our world.
Geographic information includes all data that can be located on the territory, in the form of points, maps, tables, images, etc. It provides information on:
- the territory;
- the location and distribution of natural and environmental resources;
- infrastructure (roads, buildings, equipment, etc.);
- population (socio-economic characteristics, socio-demographic characteristics, etc.);
- administrative and legal areas.
Geographic information is collected, for example, from aerial photographs, and then this information can be recorded on a map. But today, it can also be organized, structured and stored in databases. These databases integrate the physical location and description of objects on the Earth's surface. Geographic information can then be used in a geographic information system by a very large number of users.
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The data
The use of geographic data began at the beginning of the colony. The explorers carried out measurements on the territory to:- subdivide them into seigneuries;
- manage port and military infrastructure;
- locate sea and land routes.
Today, geographic information on the Quebec territory is used by more than a hundred users whose concerns are very different. Land management requires the knowledge of data often linked to the same space for:
- reconcile their various activities;
- promote consultation;
- enable the resolution of complex territorial problems.
Data acquisition is done through field surveys, satellite images, aerial photography, maps or the use of GPS surveys.
Structuring consists of verifying the conformity of the data and establishing the relationship between the different elements.
Storage allows geographic information to be stored in databases. These databases store the geometry of the elements as well as the descriptive data related to these elements.
Processing makes it possible to use the geographical database to study a phenomenon, i.e. to analyze it, model it and establish cause-and-effect relationships with a spatial impact.
Dissemination consists of conveying information in the form of raw data, tailor-made products or processing results. Information can be transmitted on paper, such as a map or image, on a digital medium, such as a CD-ROM or a telecommunications process, or on the increasingly used Web.
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The cartography
The cards
Mapping is the art, technique, and science of map-making. It allows the geographical representation of the natural and artificial elements of a territory, such as a road, a river or a lake, in a system of terrestrial coordinates. A map is always presented at a specific scale, which varies according to the detail or portion of territory to be represented.A map is the projection of a curved surface such as an ellipsoid or a sphere, or part of it, onto a plane. This is called a cartographic projection. Different types are depending on the size and shape of the territory to be mapped. The most commonly used projections in Quebec are the Transverse Mercator (cylindrical projection) and the Lambert Conformal Conic (conical projection).
The use of geographic data and maps is not new. From the beginning of the colony, explorers carried out measurements on the territory to subdivide it into seigneuries, manage port and military infrastructures or locate maritime and land routes.
There are several types of maps that are grouped into two main groups.
Topographic maps contain information:
- planimetric (hydrography, roads, buildings, vegetation, equipment, place names, etc.); and
- hypsometric (contour lines and dimensional points).
-Topographic maps are the official cartographic foundation of the Government of Quebec.
This information, also called reference information, comes from government programs and missions. It gives land managers a common spatial reference. It is to this basic geographical reference that the thematic data specific to each department and agency are added.
-Thematic maps provide information on specific themes such as the road map, land use map (example below), geological map, forest map, etc.
The scales
A map is always presented at a specific scale, which varies according to the detail or portion of territory to be represented. For example:- a large scale map shows a small portion of territory with a lot of detail;
- a small-scale map shows a large portion of territory with little detail.
Click the plus (+) or minus (-) to change the scale of the map.
Why use the cards?
The cards can be used to meet a multitude of needs in most areas. A map allows a spatial representation of phenomena on the territory where only imagination remains the limit!The following are examples of the use of maps in digital or printed form, whether by the professional in the performance of his duties or by the citizen in his travels or the practice of activities on the territory:
- forestry
- agriculture
- hunting and fishing
- open-air
- transport
The maps are used to plan various agricultural operations, locate cultivated and non-cultivated areas and crop types. A map can greatly improve the management of agricultural land.
Hunting and fishing enthusiasts use the map and compass to plan their itinerary and orient themselves in the forest.
Maps are used, for example, to plan a bicycle route that can be followed on a GPS receiver to ensure safe travel.
The road map is undoubtedly the most widely used by citizens for their car journeys on the territory.
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