OS Maps
Geography: KS3, topic 1.1.2
OS Maps
The Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapmaker for Great Britain. They produce a range of maps for leisure and business use.
Ordnance survey (OS)
- The OS was formed in the mid-nineteenth century to map the country after a rebellion in Scotland.
- The OS had mapped all of Great Britain by the mid-nineteenth century.
- The OS continues to update its maps.
Large scale maps
- The OS produces a range of maps for different purposes.
- Large scale maps show a smaller area and contain details of features such as buildings or roads.
- Large scale maps are mainly used by businesses for planning and construction.
Small scale maps
- Small scale maps show a larger area and are typically used when less detail about the land needed.
- Small scale maps include the Landranger maps and the Explorer maps.
- Some maps are at a much smaller scale including the route planning maps for the whole of Great Britain on one map.
OS Maps
An OS Map shows us a place or an area. They can be drawn at a range of different scales.
Scales
- Ordnance Survey maps can be at a scale of either 1:25,000 or 1:50,000.
- If the scale is 1:25,000 that means that objects on the map is 25,000 times smaller than in real life.
Symbols
- Ordnance Survey have created a wide range of symbols using different colours, shapes, lines and drawings to represent different features.
- OS Maps have a key explaining what each symbol represents.
Contour lines
- OS Maps show height using brown contour lines and spot heights.
- Spot heights are numbers that indicate how high the land is above sea level.
Test yourself on OS Maps
By the middle of which century had the Ordnance Survey mapped ALL of Great Britain?
What does OS stand for in mapping?
What colour are the contour lines on OS maps?
What do contour lines on an OS map tell you?