Editing Scale (map) (section)

===Large scale, medium scale, small scale===
:''Contrast to [[spatial scale]].''
A '''small-scale''' map cover large regions, such as [[world map]]s, continents or large nations. In other words, they show large areas of land on a small space. They are called small scale because the [[representative fraction]] is relatively small.

'''Large-scale''' maps show smaller areas in more detail, such as county maps or town plans might. Such maps are called large scale because the representative fraction is relatively large. For instance a town plan, which is a large-scale map, might be on a scale of 1:10,000, whereas the world map, which is a small scale map, might be on a scale of 1:100,000,000.

The following table describes typical ranges for these scales but should not be considered authoritative because there is no standard:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Classification
! Range
! Examples
|-
| large scale || 1:0 – 1:600,000 || 1:0.00001 for map of virus; 1:5,000 for walking map of town
|-
| medium scale || 1:600,000 – 1:2,000,000 || Map of a country
|-
| small scale || 1:2,000,000 – 1:∞ || 1:50,000,000 for world map; 1:10<sup>21</sup> for map of galaxy
|}
The terms are sometimes used in the absolute sense of the table, but other times in a relative sense. For example, a map reader whose work refers solely to large-scale maps (as tabulated above) might refer to a map at 1:500,000 as small-scale.

In the English language, the word [[Wikt:large-scale|large-scale]] is often used to mean "extensive". However, as explained above, cartographers use the term "large scale" to refer to ''less'' extensive maps – those that show a smaller area. Maps that show an extensive area are "small scale" maps. This can be a cause of confusion.