City maps containing streets, avenues, and points of interest are widely used to support sales activities and product distribution operations.
This tutorial demonstrates how city maps can be produced quickly and easily for distribution as PDF files or for large-format printing and display.
For this tutorial, Shapefile datasets from the municipality of Sorriso (MT) will be used, including municipal boundaries and street, avenue, and highway centerlines.
The map will be created using QGIS.
Map of Sorriso (MT)
Figure 1 – Map of Sorriso
To create a map similar to Figure 1, follow these steps:
- Download the public streets Shapefile for Sorriso (sorriso_vias_shp) available at: Public Streets of Sorriso (SHP) Download
- Open QGIS.
- Load the following files into QGIS:
- sorriso_vias_shp
- sorriso_limite_shp
- Modify the line thickness and colors for streets and avenues in the sorriso_vias_shp layer. Also adjust the styling of the sorriso_limite_shp layer.
- Add labels to streets and avenues.
- Open the QGIS Print Layout.
- Set the page size to A0.
- Add the map and the required cartographic elements, such as:
- Title
- Legend
- Scale bar
- North arrow
- Additional information
- Export the map as a PDF file.
- Print the map in large format or distribute it electronically by email.
Additional Customization
Additional information can be incorporated into the map using either QGIS or graphic design software such as:
- CorelDRAW
- Adobe Illustrator
These tools can be used to further enhance the visual presentation and prepare maps for publication, marketing materials, or corporate reports.
Download the Sorriso Map
The PDF version of the Sorriso map is available for download from the original article.
Additional Resources
More information about map creation and cartographic design is available at:
City maps are valuable tools for sales planning, logistics, market analysis, field operations, and urban studies, providing a clear and practical representation of transportation networks and urban infrastructure.