Communicate scale and orientation on your map

To help your readers understand the real-world size of features on your map, and estimate distances between them, we’ll add a scale bar to show a reference distance. We’ll also add a north arrow to indicate the orientation of your map with respect to the magnetic poles

By the end of this exercise, your map will look something like this:

Add a scale bar

1. Click on the Add Scale Bar tool on the Project toolbar, and click on the map where you want your scale bar to be. Click OK
2. Adjust the way the scale bar is displayed by editing settings on its Item Properties tab - you can adjust the size or number of segments, the style, and many other details

Add a north arrow

1. Click on the Add North Arrow tool on the Project toolbar, and click on the map where you want your north arrow to be. Click OK
2. Accept the default style, or select another from the arrows folder under Item Properties. We recommend a very simply style, so as not to distract from the message of your map with unnecessary detail

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