Although it is possible to practice orienteering with any type of map, as an organized sport, orienteering is practiced with maps created exclusively for that purpose. These maps are detailed, accurate and are prepared to a “human scale”, that is, the terrain and features that appear on the map are those that a person, when moving in that area, easily observes.
Orienteering maps are designed according to a set of rules well defined by the IOF that aim to standardize their creation throughout the world. Because orienteering athletes use compasses, orienteering maps do not point to geographic North, but rather to magnetic North.
Maps index
ORIENTEERING SPECIFIC CARTOGRAPHY
HISTORY OF ORIENTEERING CARTOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHIC NORTH AND MAGNETIC NORTH
ACCURACY, GENERALIZATION AND LEGIBILITY
ORIENTEERING CARTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE: OCAD | OPENORIENTEERING MAPPER