Absolute location: A point on the Earth's surface expressed by a coordinate system, such as latitude and longitude, or UTM.

Aggregation: A form of generalization that involves representing several similar nearby features (such as gardens or rock-piles) as a single, larger feature on a map.

Air  photographs or aerial photographs: Remote-sensing photographs taken from an airplane.

Alignment effect is the propensity of humans to relate to maps by aligning them with the environment they represent. A correct alignment (or orientation) allows for maps (and 3D models) to be interpreted more rapidly and accurately. This is most clearly seen when knowledge about a space is acquired from studying a map. Memories of maps are usually retrieved in the orientation in which the latter were studied. Adapted from Wilson P.N.; Wildbur D.J. 2004. First-perspective alignment effects in a computer-simulated environment. British Journal of Psychology, Volume 95, Number 2, May 2004 , pp. 197-217(21)

Almanac: A continuously updated collection of data that a GPS receiver uses to determine the positions of the GPS satellites when it calculates coordinates.

Area feature: Something on the land - such as a plantation, hunting area, marsh, or lake - large enough to be depicted at scale on a map (shown with a polygon).

Asset allocation mapping (AAM): this enables communities to make informed decisions over the allocation of their territorial assets. To do this, they need not only to arrive at their own evaluations of these assets but also to understand the multiple values assigned to their assets by others: to map the ways in which assets are perceived, evaluated, imagined by an unfamiliar and mutating array of external interests (source: Peter Poole).

Attribute data: Information about a feature on a map or thematic information.

Azimuth: The angle (often in degrees) that a certain direction (to a landmark, for example) is from the north meridian at a certain place.

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