A map is a representation of the Earth's surface. It is also a portable document describing an area. A map can also provide data such as migration trends, directions, and rock composition. There are many types of maps: The physical map shows land and water formations: mountains, oceans, rivers, the climate type shows the type of weather conditions occurring in the world, the political map shows how the earth's surface is divided into borders: continents, countries, and states... The science of making maps is referred to as cartography.