History of cartography

Maps – image and means of getting information about the world in its spatial conditions and changes. It is necessary to study maps history –facts, stages and patterns of its historical development as practice industry, science and culture because it gives right interpretation of modern situation and ways of future progress in cartography. First of all this progress is determined by financial need of society. That’s why it is impossible to understand and explain this progress ignoring specific social conditions, away from the process of production forces development and production relations. Emerging needs of society arouse the necessity in creation previously unknown maps and therefore pose new challenges to the theory. Successful and progressive solving of these problems contributes and even creates necessary conditions for solving practical problems and at the same time encourages further advancement of cartography.

The history of cartography studies the development of maps as well as methods of its creation and the development of the theoretical foundations of science.

The history of cartography is considered together with common historical periodization as far as development of cartography was always determined by life needs, demands in production which were seriously changing in various social and economic structures.