Mapping and Remote Sensing

Saima Rafique
Lecturer, DCPR, UET, LHR
 What is Mapping?
• Mapping is the creation of maps, a graphic symbolic
representation of the significant features of a part of
the surface of the Earth.

• Graphical representation of procedure, process,

structure, or system that depicts arrangement of and
relationship among its different components and traces
flows of energy, goods, information, materials etc
 What is a Map
• A map is defined as a representation, usually on a
flat surface, of a whole or part of an area. The
job of a map is to describe spatial relationships
of specific features that the map aims to
represent. There are many different types of
maps that attempt to represent specific things.
Maps can display political boundaries, population,
physical features, natural resources,  climates,
elevation (topography the arrangement of the natural and
artificial physical features of an area.  ), and economic
activities.
 Basics of Map Reading
• A good map will have a legend or key which
will show the user what different symbols
mean. For instance, a square with a flag on top
usually represents a school and roads are
represented by a variety of widths and
combinations of lines. Often a dashed line
represents a border. Note, however, that map
symbols used in the United States are often
used for different things in other countries. 
 Essential of Maps
BOLTSS
•1- Border
•2- Orientation (North direction)
•3- Legend
•4- Title
•5- Scale
•6- Source
Essential of Maps
Essential of Maps
Essential of Maps
 Representing features on Maps.

The Road, the first image, on the ground is displayed clearly on the map,
the second image.
 Remote Sensing
• scanning of the earth by satellite or
high-flying aircraft in order to obtain
information about it.
• Remote sensing is the science of
obtaining information about objects or
areas from a distance, typically from
aircraft or satellites.
 What is remote sensing?
• Remote sensing is the art and science of
making measurements of the earth using
sensors on airplanes or satellites. These
sensors collect data in the form of
images and provide specialized
capabilities for manipulating, analyzing,
and visualizing those images. Remote
sensed imagery is integrated within a
GIS.
 History of Mapmaking
• Humans have long recognized the importance
and value of maps to their lives.  Indeed, the
history of mapping can be traced to more than
5,000 years ago.  Maps are essentially tools
which are used to:
 for the map maker, they record the location
of places of interest
 for others, they are a source of learning about
the geography of the area being mapped
Compared to modern maps, early maps:

• depicted of small areas (a city, a trade route,

a hunting ground, a military campaign etc)
• were pictorial in nature – therefore they look
crude (in a raw state, not refined) compared to
modern maps; however they were able to show
the features that the map maker wished to
record
• had no rules relating to how they were
oriented – modern maps usually have north at
the top
Compared to modern maps, early maps:

• the relationship between features on the map

and reality on the Earth was often not
accurate – for example a great deal of detail
about features in the centre of the map, with
less and less towards the edges
• in many cases were work of art first and a
reference document second; part of the
reason for this is that the maps were made by
hand, were expensive to make and were
somewhat of a status symbol to own
A few examples of mapping
which occurred before the
Birth of Christ include:
• relatively simple sketches on
clay tablets by the
Babylonians (Babylon was a
significant city in ancient Mesopotamia,
in the fertile plain between the Tigris
and Euphrates rivers. see example)
• extensive work by the
Egyptians to document and
record property boundaries
• delicate maps on silk from
China
 Ptolemy
• The Greeks and Romans continued to
refine the art of map making, culminating
with the work of Ptolemy).  Ptolemy was
a geographer, mathematician and
astronomer who lived in Roman Egypt. 
In about 150 AD he famously published a
scientific Geography.  This contained
thousands of references and maps of
various parts of the world – with longitude
and latitude lines.  This system
revolutionized European geographic
thinking, by imposing mathematical rules
to the composition of maps. 
• Ptolemy’s work continued to be of great
importance to European and Islamic
scholars well into the Renaissance
(1500s).
 The Middle Ages
• In Europe during this period there was little progress in
improving the science of mapping and geography. One
interesting development was the adoption of the principle of
having Jerusalem in the centre of a ‘world’ map and the Orient
(Asia) at the top of the map.  For artistic reasons, maps drawn
in this time were also heavily decorated.  The decoration often
included angels and imaginary monsters.
• In the Islamic world the study of the science of mapping and
geography did progress.  An excellent example of this is the
work of Al-Idrisi, an Arab scholar .In the period around 1154
he produced a number of outstanding ‘world’ maps and
geographic books. 
•   It is believed that the influence of Al-Idrisi’s work was far
reaching with generations of Islamic map makers using his
designs as the basis of their maps.
The Middle Ages
• al-Idrisi's world map,
Arabic, 804/1154/1456
A.D.
(oriented with South at
the top)
• Al-Idrisi map of the
world, produced 1154. 
The original of this map
no longer exists, this
replica was produced in
1456.
 After the Middle Ages
• In Europe, the Renaissance period brought a number of significant
changes which hugely affected mapping:
• the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440
• the discovery of the Americas and expanded contact with the
Orient resulted in greater interest in distant places and migration
• the growth of major publishing houses which produced maps that
were accessible to all – not just the wealthy elite
• the growth in public learning, brought a thirst for knowledge –
this was aided by the establishment of institutions such as the
French Academy of Science, which was established in 1666 to
encourage scientific research – including the improvement of
mapping and navigation charting
 After the Middle Ages
• This map of Australia is
from the mid-1850s and
it is typical of maps of
this period.  Features
to note include:
• Base map printed in a
dark colour
• The addition of colour
by hand painting
• If you look closely
the lines of
longitude are indicated
as west from
Washington (on the
bottom of the map) and
east from Greenwich
(on the top of the map).
 The Modern Era
• Using modern satellite
systems and surveying
techniques,
cartographers are now
able to measure and map
with very high precision
and consistency.  As a
result, maps have
become absolutely
critical to most fields of
human achievements