Scale
Overview
Scale is the ratio of a distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the ground, often expressed as a fraction or representative fraction (e.g., 1:10,000), indicating the level of detail and area covered by the map.
Key Concepts
Representative fraction is the ratio 1:X (1 unit on map = X units on ground). Large scale means larger RF denominator is smaller (1:1,000) - more detail. Small scale means smaller RF denominator is larger (1:1,000,000) - less detail. Scale bar is a graphical representation of scale on a map. Nominal scale is the scale at which data was captured or intended.
Scale Examples
| Scale | Type | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1,000 | Large | Engineering, site plans |
| 1:24,000 | Large | USGS topo quads |
| 1:100,000 | Medium | Regional planning |
| 1:1,000,000 | Small | State/national maps |
| 1:50,000,000 | Small | World maps |
Web Map Zoom Levels
| Zoom | Approximate Scale | View |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1:500,000,000 | World |
| 10 | 1:500,000 | Metro area |
| 15 | 1:15,000 | Neighborhood |
| 18 | 1:2,000 | Building |
Appendix
Created: 2025-12-13 | Modified: 2025-12-13