CBSE Class 11 Geography NCERT Solutions: Chapter 4 - Map Projections

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 11 PDF

This chapter provides essential NCERT Solutions for Class 11 Geography, focusing on Map Projections. Students will explore the fundamental concepts behind representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface. The solutions cover the various types of map projections, their suitability for different purposes, and their inherent properties such as accuracy in shape, area, direction, and distance. Key topics include understanding the elements of map projections, the concept of global property, and the limitations that prevent any single projection from perfectly representing the globe. Differentiating between developable and non-developable surfaces is also a crucial aspect discussed. These solutions are designed to help students grasp the complexities of map projections, aiding in their exam preparation and understanding of cartographic principles.

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Quick info

Board	CBSE
Class	Class 11
Subject	Practical Work in Geography
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	Chapter 4

Chapter summary

Chapter 4 of the Class 11 Geography syllabus focuses on Map Projections. This section provides NCERT Solutions that explain the necessity of map projections due to the Earth's spherical nature and the limitations of flat maps. It details the elements of map projections, the global properties (area, shape, direction, distance), and why no projection can be perfectly accurate in all aspects. The solutions also differentiate between developable and non-developable surfaces and discuss specific projection types and their suitability.

Learning outcomes

Understand the concept and necessity of map projections.
Identify and describe the elements of a map projection.
Explain the global properties of map projections (area, shape, direction, distance).
Analyze why no single map projection can represent the globe perfectly.
Differentiate between developable and non-developable surfaces.
Recognize the suitability of different map projections for various purposes.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Map Projections
Elements of Map Projections
Global Properties (Area, Shape, Direction, Distance)
Developable Surfaces
Non-developable Surfaces
Mercator Projection
Cylindrical Projections
Conical Projections
Zenithal Projections
Gnomonic Projection
Stereographic Projection
Orthographic Projection

Important topics

Necessity and limitations of map projections
Global properties: accuracy of area, shape, direction, and distance
Difference between developable and non-developable surfaces
Characteristics and suitability of Mercator projection
Understanding projections based on light source position

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below: A map projection least suitable for the world map:

Mercator
Simple Cylindrical
Conical
All the above

Solution: The correct answer is (c) Conical. Conical projections are generally best suited for mapping mid-latitude regions, such as continents or countries, because they minimize distortion within a specific latitudinal band. They are not ideal for a world map, which requires representing a much wider range of latitudes and longitudes, where they would introduce significant distortions.

Question 2

A map projection that is neither the equal area nor the correct shape and even the directions are also incorrect:

Simple Conical
Polar zenithal
Mercator
Cylindrical

Solution: The correct answer is (c) Mercator. While the Mercator projection is known for preserving correct shapes and directions locally (making it useful for navigation), it significantly distorts areas, especially towards the poles. Therefore, it is not an equal-area projection, and its directional accuracy is relative, not absolute across the entire map.

Question 3

A map projection having correct direction and correct shape but area greatly exaggerated polewards is:

Cylindrical Equal Area
Mercator
Conical
All the above

Solution: The correct answer is (b) Mercator. The Mercator projection is a conformal projection, meaning it preserves shapes and angles locally, which also implies correct directions. However, as parallels of latitude are projected as equal lengths to meridians, the areas of regions increase dramatically with increasing distance from the equator, leading to significant exaggeration towards the poles.

Question 4

When the source of light is placed at the centre of the globe, the resultant projection is called:

Orthographic
Stereographic
Gnomonic
All the above

Solution: The correct answer is (c) Gnomonic. In a Gnomonic projection, the light source is considered to be at the center of the globe, and the projection is made onto a plane tangent to the globe at a point. This type of projection can show great circles as straight lines, but it suffers from rapidly increasing distortion away from the point of tangency.

Question 5

Describe the elements of map projection.

Solution: The key elements of a map projection are:

Reduced Earth: The projection represents the Earth's surface at a smaller scale than the actual Earth.
Parallels of Latitude: These are represented as lines indicating the north-south position relative to the equator.
Meridians of Longitude: These are represented as lines indicating the east-west position relative to the Prime Meridian.
Gross Property: This refers to the overall characteristics of the projection, such as whether it preserves area, shape, direction, or distance, or a combination thereof.

Question 6

What do you mean by global property?

Solution: Global property in the context of map projections refers to the fundamental characteristics of accuracy that a projection aims to maintain when representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface. The four major global properties are:

Correctness of Area: The relative sizes of landmasses or features are accurately represented.
Correctness of Shape: The shapes of continents, countries, or other features are accurately depicted.
Correctness of Direction: The true direction from one point to another is maintained.
Correctness of Distance: The distances between points are accurately represented, usually along specific lines or from a central point.

No single projection can achieve all these properties perfectly simultaneously.

Question 7

Not a single map projection represents the globe truly. Why?

Solution: It is impossible for any single map projection to represent the globe truly because of the fundamental geometric challenge of flattening a curved surface onto a plane. When creating a map projection, cartographers must choose which properties to preserve (like area, shape, direction, or distance). Preserving one property often leads to distortion in others. For instance, projections that maintain accurate areas typically distort shapes and directions, while conformal projections that preserve shape and direction significantly exaggerate areas towards the poles. Therefore, every projection involves a compromise and introduces some form of distortion.

Question 8

How is the area kept equal in cylindrical equal area projection?

Solution: In a cylindrical equal area projection, the area is kept equal by projecting the surface of the globe onto a cylinder that touches the Earth along the equator. The projection uses parallel rays of light originating from the center of the globe (or a similar conceptual method) to transfer the grid of parallels and meridians onto the cylinder. Both parallels and meridians are depicted as straight lines that intersect at right angles. To ensure equal area, the parallels are spaced progressively farther apart towards the poles, compensating for the increasing distance between meridians. This results in the poles being represented as lines equal in length to the equator, which causes significant distortion in the shape of areas at higher latitudes, stretching them vertically.

Question 9

Differentiate between developable and non-developable surfaces.

Solution: The distinction between developable and non-developable surfaces is crucial in understanding map projections:

Developable Surfaces: These are surfaces that can be flattened into a plane without stretching, shrinking, or tearing. Examples include a cylinder and a cone. Map projections that use these surfaces (like Cylindrical and Conical projections) can maintain certain properties more accurately over a specific area because the projection surface can be 'unrolled' or 'cut' to lie flat relatively easily.

Non-developable Surfaces: These are surfaces that cannot be flattened into a plane without causing distortion, such as shrinking, breaking, or creasing. The surface of the Earth (a sphere or spheroid) is the primary example. Projections that attempt to represent the entire globe on a flat map without using an intermediate developable surface (like Azimuthal or some other projections) inherently involve compromises in accuracy.

Common mistakes

Confusing the properties of different map projections.
Not understanding the trade-offs between accuracy in shape, area, and direction.
Difficulty in distinguishing between developable and non-developable surfaces.
Incorrectly identifying the projection type based on its characteristics.

Revision tips

Focus on understanding the 'why' behind map projections – the challenge of flattening a sphere.
Memorize the key properties (area, shape, direction, distance) and how they are affected by different projections.
Pay close attention to the differences between developable and non-developable surfaces.
Practice identifying projection types based on their descriptions and suitability for world maps vs. regional maps.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Which type of map projection is generally least suitable for representing the entire world due to significant distortions?

Q2. A map projection that compromises on the accuracy of area, shape, and direction is:

Q3. Which projection is characterized by correct direction and shape, but with area greatly exaggerated towards the poles?

Q4. When the light source is imagined at the center of the globe for projection, the resulting projection is called:

Q5. What are the fundamental elements of map projections?

Frequently asked questions

What is a map projection and why is it needed?

A map projection is a systematic method of transferring the grid of the Earth's surface onto a flat plane. It is needed because the Earth is a sphere (or spheroid), and it's impossible to represent its curved surface accurately on a flat map without some distortion.

What are the main 'global properties' that map projections try to preserve?

The four main global properties are the accuracy of area (size), shape, direction, and distance between points. However, no single map projection can preserve all four properties simultaneously.

What is the difference between developable and non-developable surfaces in map projections?

Developable surfaces, like cylinders and cones, can be flattened without shrinking or tearing, allowing a grid of parallels and meridians to be projected onto them. Non-developable surfaces, like a sphere itself, cannot be flattened without distortion.

Why is the Mercator projection often criticized for world maps?

While the Mercator projection accurately shows direction and shape locally, it greatly exaggerates the size (area) of landmasses, especially near the poles. This makes it unsuitable for representing the true relative sizes of countries or continents on a world map.

How does the position of the light source affect the type of projection?

The position of the light source relative to the globe and the projection surface determines the type of projection. For example, placing the light source at the center creates a Gnomonic projection, while placing it at infinity creates an Orthographic projection.

Can a map projection show the entire world perfectly accurately?

No, it is impossible for any single map projection to represent the entire globe perfectly accurately in terms of area, shape, direction, and distance all at once. Compromises must be made, leading to distortions in one or more of these properties.

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