Types of maps of the world

Some of the most common types are political, physical, topographic, climate, economic, and thematic maps.

According to the ICSM (Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping), there are five different types of maps: General Reference, Topographical, Thematic, Navigation Charts and Cadastral Maps and Plans.

For purposes of clarity, the three types of maps are the reference map, the thematic map, and the dynamic map.

There are two main types of maps – political maps and physical maps. Physical maps show the shape of the land – hills, lakes, forests, the coast and so on. Political maps show how the land is used by people – counties, provinces, countries, town boundaries, etc.

A map is a symbolic representation of selected characteristics of a place, usually drawn on a flat surface. Maps present information about the world in a simple, visual way. They teach about the world by showing sizes and shapes of countries, locations of features, and distances between places.

Reference maps show the location of geographic boundaries, physical features of Earth, or cultural features such as places, cities, and roads. Political maps, physical maps, road maps, topographic maps, time zone maps, geologic maps, and zip code maps are all examples of reference maps.

Mostly pilots will use physical map because its not a map for a person travelling short distances. Pilots use it mostly because when they fly a plain most likely its travelling far and that it will show the far distance that has bin traveled.