Mapmakers usually show the most
important information using symbols
that stand out. For example, a main
road may be shown by double black
lines with red between them. A legend
is a list that describes the symbols used
on a map.
History
People began making maps thousands of
years ago. The earliest maps showed
features that were important to the
people in a particular area. The ancient
Greeks were the first to show Earth as
being round. But their maps only
showed the world that was known at the
time. Later, as people began to explore
the world, they made maps of where
they had been. Today detailed maps
show every part of Earth.
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Geography • Latitude and Longitude
Maple
Maples are trees and shrubs that are
often planted in parks and along city
streets. They are good shade trees
because their leaves form a thick dome.
In autumn the leaves turn spectacular
shades of yellow, orange, and scarlet.
There are about 200 different species, or
kinds, of maple. They grow throughout
much of North America, Europe, and
northeastern Asia.
Maples range from small shrubs to large
trees. They can grow to be more than
130 feet (40 meters) tall. The leaves usually
have several fingerlike sections called
lobes. Flowers appear in early spring.
They vary from deep red to greenish
yellow. Maples also bear papery wings
The art and
science of
making maps
is called
cartography.
Sugar maples have sweet sap that is used to
make maple syrup.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Maple 51
containing seeds. These flutter to the
ground, scattering the seeds away from
the tree. The seeds can grow into new
maples.
Maple syrup and sugar come from the
sap of the sugar maple. These trees grow
in Canada and the United States. People
collect the sap in late winter or early
spring. They cut holes into the trunk of
the tree and gather the sap in buckets.
Then they boil the sap to make it
thicker. Sugar maples and some other
species also provide wood for building
furniture and other products.
..More to explore
Tree
Maputo
Population
(2007 estimate)
1,099,102
Maputo is the capital of Mozambique, a
country in southeastern Africa. The city
lies on a bay of the Indian Ocean. It is
the largest city in Mozambique. It is also
one of eastern Africa’s most important
ports.
The economy of Maputo depends
heavily on the shipping of goods
through the port. The repairing of ships
also brings money to the city. Factories
in Maputo make processed foods and
other goods.
In 1787 the Portuguese built a fort
where Maputo is now. A town grew
around the fort. The town was
originally named Lourenco Marques,
after a Portuguese trader. In 1907 it
became the capital of Portugal’s
colonies in East Africa.
In 1975 Mozambique became an independent
country with Lourenco
Marques as its capital. The city was soon
renamed Maputo. Different groups
fought for control of Mozambique from
the 1970s to the early 1990s. The long
war hurt Maputo’s shipping and tourism
industries.
..More to explore
Mozambique
Marathon
A marathon is a footrace with a distance
of exactly 26 miles and 385 yards (42.2
kilometers). Marathon runners usually
Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, is
located on a bay of the Indian Ocean.
52 Maputo BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
do not run on a track. Instead they run
over land, including city streets.
The marathon is the longest of all the
racing events in the Olympic Games.
Many cities throughout the world also
host their own marathons. The bestknown
marathons in the United States
are the Boston Marathon and the New
York City Marathon.
Both men and women compete in the
city and Olympic marathons. The fastest
runners complete the race in slightly
more than two hours.
The marathon’s name comes from a
legendary event that happened about
2,500 years ago. Marathon was the
name of a plain in ancient Greece.
There, in 490 BC, a fierce battle broke
out between the Athenians and the Persians,
who wanted to rule the city-state
of Athens. After defeating the Persians,
the Athenians supposedly sent a runner
back to Athens to announce the victory.
The distance from Marathon to Athens
was about 25 miles (40 kilometers). In
1896 the first modern Olympic Games
included a marathon race to honor that
ancient Greek runner.
#More to explore
Olympic Games • Track and Field
Marconi,
Guglielmo
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian scientist
and inventor. He built the first wireless
telegraph, which sent messages
through the air for the first time. This
invention was the starting point for
radio.
Marconi was born on April 25, 1874, in
Bologna, Italy. At about age 20 he
became interested in radio waves. Radio
waves are streams of energy that carry
electric signals through the air. Marconi
thought that radio waves could be used
in communication.
The Boston Marathon includes a
division for marathoners in
wheelchairs.
Guglielmo Marconi is pictured with his telegraph
equipment.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Marconi, Guglielmo 53
Marconi experimented with radio waves
and the telegraph. The telegraph used at
the time could send and receive coded
messages in the form of electric signals.
However, it needed wires to do so. Marconi
