地理教育深受學校課程目標、教材編輯、評量方式等因素的影響，地圖教育又與政治環境息息相關。臺灣地區在解嚴前，許多地形圖屬管制使用，教育工作者或地圖學家也因而未積極將地圖適切地引入地理課程，多數國民鮮有磯會接觸較精準的地形圖；解嚴後，新課程目標才明白列入地圖教育，大學入學考試中心學科能力測驗社會考科的試題也逐漸重視地圖技能。而英國對地圖的觀念則較開放，全國性課程明白列出地理技能，學生從小即有機會接觸到各式各樣的地圖。國內如欲提高學生的用圖能力，地圖學家應可嘗試將政府出版的地圖轉為各級學校適用的版本。因此，本研究目的有二，一是比較臺灣地區與英國地理教材地圖在課程目標的角色及地形圖的編輯特色，二是比較臺灣地區與英國入學考試地形圖試題的命題特色。

The development of Geographic education in Taiwan is not only heavily influenced by curriculum goals, courseware designs and evaluation approach, it is also contingent upon the political, cultural and social environments. While marching into the democratic era, Taiwan has undergone a series of political change, which plays a vital role in determining the content of geographic education. Before martial law was lifted, most of the topographic maps were under governmental control. Both educators and cartographers, therefore, did not inclusively design appropriate and adequate topographic maps into the geographic courseware. Because of such control, most students do not have the opportunities to read more accurate topographic maps. However, after martial law was lifted, map literacy becomes one of the goals of new geographic curriculum. Meanwhile, College Entrance Examination Center places more and more emphasis on the evaluation of map skills when developing geographic tests of Social Science. Comparatively, Great Britain is much opener in terms of the use of maps. Geographic skills are clearly stated in the national curriculum. Students in Great Britain are provided with ample opportunities to read a variety of maps since entering primary school. If we intend to elevate the students' abilities to use maps, cartographers should revise the maps published by the government, making them suitable for educational application at various school levels.