| A map is a two-dimensional image that represents a three-dimensional surface or space. Maps are an important geographic tool. The making of maps is a scientific field known as cartography and the first maps are believed to have been made in the Stone Age. A scale is an important aspect of a map because it allows comparison between an actual distance and the distance represented on a map. The world map (right) uses the Robinson projection because it is a two-dimensional image trying to represent the surface of a three dimensional sphere. | 