Discover World Maps and Find Your Place on the Globe!

You can learn so much by looking at a world map! A world map shows you all the continents, oceans, and countries on Earth. When you study Basic Mapping Concepts, you build the skills you need to read and understand world maps.

Canada is the country you will focus on most. It is one of the largest countries in the world and sits on the continent of North America.

When you look at a map of North America, Canada appears at the very top because it is in the northern part of the continent. The United States is directly south of Canada, and they share the longest international border in the world.

Canada is bordered by three oceans. The Pacific Ocean is on the west coast, the Atlantic Ocean is on the east coast, and the Arctic Ocean is to the north. On most maps, water is shown in blue.

The top of a standard map always points north. You can use a compass rose to find the directions north, south, east, and west on any map.

Canada is divided into ten provinces and three territories. Provinces stretch from British Columbia in the west to Newfoundland and Labrador in the east. Manitoba is one of the central provinces found in the middle of Canada.

The three territories are Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Yukon is in the far northwest, and Nunavut is the largest territory by size. Territories are in the northern part of Canada and are governed differently from provinces.

Ottawa is Canada's capital city, where the national government is located. Toronto is Canada's largest city by population, but it is not the capital. A star symbol on a map shows you where a capital city is located.

Continent: A continent is a very large area of land on Earth. Canada is located on the continent of North America, which also includes the United States and Mexico.

Ocean: An ocean is a huge body of salt water. Canada is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Arctic Ocean to the north.

Globe: A globe is a round model of Earth that shows you countries, continents, and oceans. It is shaped like a ball, just like the real Earth.

Equator: The equator is an imaginary line that goes around the middle of Earth. It divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. Canada is in the Northern Hemisphere, far north of the equator.

Province: A province is a large region of Canada, similar to a state. Canada has ten provinces, including Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia.

Territory: A territory is a region in northern Canada governed differently from a province. Canada has three territories: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Capital City: A capital city is where the government of a country or province meets. Ottawa is Canada's national capital city.

Border: A border is a line on a map that shows where one country or region ends and another begins. Canada and the United States share a long border to the south.

Compass Rose: A compass rose is a symbol on a map that shows you the four directions: north, south, east, and west. You can use it to find your way around any map.

Hemisphere: A hemisphere is half of the Earth. The equator divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Canada is in the Northern Hemisphere.

Political Map: A political map shows you the names of countries, provinces, and their borders. It helps you find where places are located.

You can practice finding Canada on a world map and pointing to the three oceans that border it. Try using a compass rose to identify which direction is north, south, east, and west.

You can also practice naming Canada's ten provinces and three territories. See if you can find Ottawa, the capital city, and identify the star symbol that marks it on the map. Learning about Where People Live can help you understand why cities like Toronto and Vancouver are so important.

Before exploring world maps, you learned about Basic Mapping Concepts like how to read a map and use map tools. You also studied Features of Our Community, which helped you understand the places closest to you.

Those skills are the foundation for everything you are learning now about global geography and world locations.

This topic connects to many other exciting geography ideas you will explore. You will learn about Understanding Other Places, which helps you discover what life is like in different parts of the world beyond Canada.

You will also explore Climate and Geography Impact to understand how the location of a place affects its weather and environment. For example, Canada's northern territories near the Arctic Ocean are very cold because of where they are located.

Studying Links Between Communities will show you how people in different places around the world are connected to each other.

After this topic, you will be ready to explore Geographic Features like mountains, rivers, and lakes. You will also dive deeper into Understanding Maps and practice Using Geography Tools like map scales and legends. Finally, you will study Regional Characteristics to learn what makes different parts of the world unique.