What is a map? | Axis Maps
A simple definition is that a map is a representation of a place. This carries two important implications that are sometimes neglected: Broadly, maps fall into two categories: Reference maps emphasize the location of spatial phenomena, such countries, cities, rivers, etc. Chances are the maps you use most in your daily life are reference maps—street maps (e.g., Google Maps) that help you see where things are. Other common reference maps emphasize physical landscapes—think topographic maps or maps of a national park. USGS topographic maps and Google Maps are classic and modern examples of reference maps, mostly intended to show where things are. Thematic maps emphasize the spatial pattern of geographic attributes or statistics about places and relationships between places. For example, while a reference map might show the locations of cities, a thematic map might also represent the population of those cities. A reference map might show bank locations, while a thematic maps shows average