How to add scale to a map

[jjreal]

I have a bit of a problem, I have a world map which is equirectangular in projection. I want to "zoom in" and make a map of a single country but I don't know how to go about figuring out a usable scale or which projection to use.

[waldronate]

Start here: http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~joch...projection.htm and then http://resources.esri.com/help/9.3/A...projection.htm if you want a bit more perspective.

How to change your projection will depend largely on where you're starting from. If your world map is in a piece of software that supports projections, you'll be able to change it there. If you just have an image, you'll need to use an external program like G.Projector, Matthew's Map Projection Software, GDAL or even Fractal Terrains to convert your base image into your final projection. If you need to reproject your image, there is a good chance that you will want to use the reprojected image as a drawing guide for your new map because the reprojection process often blurs your image.