Important Questions Test: Maps - UPSC MCQ

This is due to standard method of drawing directions on paper. On paper we draw North in front or upward South at back therefore East comes on your right side and West comes on your left side.

On maps, blue lines are typically used to represent water bodies such as rivers. A thick blue line usually indicates a significant river, whereas smaller streams may also be shown in blue.

• Conventional Symbols are used in maps to represent features like buildings, roads, bridges, trees, and railway lines using standardized symbols, colors, and lines. They help convey information in a compact and easily understandable way.
• Option A is incorrect because conventional symbols do not show the actual size and shape of features but represent them in a simplified manner.
• Option C is incorrect as conventional symbols do not indicate language but rather map features.
• Option D is incorrect because maps do not display three-dimensional models but use symbols to represent features.

A plan is a detailed drawing of a small area, typically drawn on a large scale to show precise details and dimensions. Plans are commonly used in fields like architecture, engineering, and urban planning.

The magnetic needle of the compass aligns itself with the Earth's magnetic field and points towards the North-South direction. This is because the needle is magnetized and aligns with the Earth's magnetic poles.

Light brown color on a map is used to represent higher elevations, such as mountains, with darker brown indicating even greater heights

Atlas maps are typically drawn on a small scale to cover large areas, such as countries, continents, or the entire world, with less detailed representation of features.

Thematic maps focus on specific themes, such as the distribution of forests, rainfall, or population density.

Small scale refers to world maps or maps of large regions such as continents or large nations. In other words, they show large areas of land on a small space. They are called small scale because the representative fraction is relatively small.

• Physical Maps display natural features of the Earth like mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers, and oceans.
• Political Maps focus on cities, towns, villages, and the boundaries between different countries and states.
• Thematic Maps are designed to show specific information such as rainfall distribution or road networks.
• Road Maps are a type of thematic map that specifically focuses on roads and highways.

A compass is used to find directions by indicating geographic north, helping to determine the main directions for navigation and orientation.

• A sketch is a roughly drawn representation that is mainly based on memory and does not adhere to a precise scale.
• Option A: Scale, Map is incorrect because a sketch is not specifically related to a scale or map but to general, informal drawings.
• Option C: Plan, Map is incorrect because a plan usually involves detailed and accurate measurements, unlike a sketch.
• Option D: Plan, Scale is incorrect because a plan is a detailed and scaled drawing, unlike a sketch which is less precise and based on memory.

A globe is a spherical representation of the Earth. It accurately depicts the shape of the Earth, which is a geoid closely resembling a sphere. Other aspects like length, direction, and height are also represented on a globe, but the most distinctive and accurate feature is its shape, as it provides a three-dimensional perspective, unlike flat maps.

• Boundaries between different states are depicted on a political map.
• Option A: Plateau is incorrect because a plateau is a type of landform, not a type of map.
• Option B: Plains is incorrect because plains are flat landforms, not related to how boundaries are shown.
• Option C: Mountains is incorrect because mountains are landforms shown on maps, not a map type that depicts state boundaries.
• Option D: Political map is correct because political maps are designed to show boundaries, cities, and other political features.

Cardinal directions include North, South, East, and West. Directions like Northeast are called intercardinal or secondary directions.