GIS Cartography

The world of GIS is quite amazing. This week I learnt to make maps with cartography. To make these amazing map, ArcCatalog and ArchGIS were both used. Where the ArcCatalog helps by providing an integrated and unified view of all data files and databases, and ArcGIS documents available to ArcGIS users.

First off ArcCatalog was open to review the given datasets of eight (8) data layers. ArcMap was then open while ArcCatalog was still running in the background. This new document was saved as project /MXD and the properties title of this document was changed to Mexico, author Janel McNab.

NOW THE FUN PART BEGINS!!!

From ArcCatalog the datasets World_Countries, Mex-boundary and Americas_Admin were dragged and drop over to ArcMap. This first map will illustrate the boundaries of Mexican states. This was achieved by selecting attributes where an SQL query was run to select the country of Mexico. Thereafter a new layer was created to replace Americas_Admin. The template map was given labels to identify the different features, the color was edited, and other map features were inserted such as North arrow, scale bar, scale text, legend and title. But uniquely a dynamic text was edited and the author and date were inserted. A few more changes were done to re-naming of content and the finished product was saved and exported. Map one(1) seen below.

The second (2nd) map continues from the first map. The remaining layers mex_rails, mex_rivers, mex_roads, and mex_urban were added. Mex_rivers layer was categories to view only primary and major water systems. This was also done for the mex_roads layer to only display Federal. Advance labeling was done to themex_urban layer, where an SQL query was carried out to indicate all urban areas with more than a million people. The labels were converted to annotations so that the labels could be edited. An inset map was added to indicate the exact location being expressed. The map was rearranged and exported. The map of Mexico can be seen below, Map 2. 

The third map of this exercise is a continuation of the first and second map. This map expresses the layer of mex_elev, elevations using a stretched symbology. the color ramp was edited and displayed the entire country of Mexico to show the elevation. This map can be seen below, Map 3.

Exploring the world of GIS with the use of Cartography!!