The Map Shop - Map Facts

A large-scale map will show more detail and fewer square miles, whereas a small-scale map will cover a larger area, but show less detail. (This means you are unlikely to find street-level detail on a map of the world.)
The scale of a map is represented as a ratio. The ratio 1:24,000 tells you that one inch on the map represents 24,000 inches on the ground.

Scale	Approx Feet per inch	Approx Inches per mile	Approx Miles per inch
1:24,000	2,000	2.64	.4
1:100,000	8,333	.63	1.6
1:200,000	16,667	.32	3
1:250,000	20,833	.25	4
1:400,000	33,333	.16	6
1:500,000	41,667	.13	8
1:1,000,000	83,333	.06	16

Latitude and Longitude

The Map Shop is located at 34°51'05" N 82°23'55" W.

That means we are about 34.5 degrees north of the equator and 82 degrees west of the prime meridian in London.

The earth is roughly round, so it is divided into 360°, the same way a circle is divided in geometry class. Each degree is made up of 60 minutes; each minute contains 60 seconds.

When people speak of a 7.5 minute map, they are not talking about how long it takes to read the map! They are generally referring to the standard USGS topographic quadrangle, which is 7.5 minutes high by 7.5 minutes wide. In other words, the map covers 1/8th of a degree in each direction.

To order, call us Toll-Free at 1-888-571-6277, or use our order form.

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