# Spatial scale

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For other uses, see [Scale (disambiguation)](/source/Scale_(disambiguation)).

**Spatial scale** is a specific application of the term [scale](/source/Scale_(disambiguation)) for describing or categorizing (e.g. into [orders of magnitude](/source/Orders_of_magnitude)) the [size](/source/Size) of a [space](/source/Space) (hence *spatial*), or the extent of it at which a phenomenon or process occurs.[1][2]

For instance, in [physics](/source/Physics) an object or phenomenon can be called microscopic if too small to be visible. In [climatology](/source/Climatology), a [micro-climate](/source/Micro-climate) is a [climate](/source/Climate) which might occur in a [mountain](/source/Mountain), [valley](/source/Valley) or near a lake shore. In [statistics](/source/Statistics), a [megatrend](/source/Megatrend) is a political, social, economical, environmental or technological [trend](/source/Trend_(statistics)) which involves the whole [planet](/source/Planet) or is supposed to last a very large amount of time. The concept is also used in [geography](/source/Geography), [astronomy](/source/Astronomy), and [meteorology](/source/Meteorology).[3]

These divisions are somewhat arbitrary; where, on this table, *mega-* is assigned global scope, it may only apply continentally or even regionally in other contexts. The interpretations of *meso-* and *macro-* must then be adjusted accordingly.

This animation gives a sense of the scale of some of the known objects in our universe.

Examples of scales in geography and metereology[4] Scale Length Area Description Micro 1 m – 1 km 1 m2 – 1 km2 local Meso 1 km - 100 km 1 km2 - 10,000 km2 regional Macro 100 km - 10,000 km 10,000 km2 - 100,000,000 km2 continental Mega 10,000 km - 1,000,000 km 100,000,000 - 10,000,000,000 km2 global Giga >1,000,000 km >10,000,000,000 km2 superglobal

## See also

- [Astronomical units of length](/source/Astronomical_units_of_length)

- [Cosmic distance ladder](/source/Cosmic_distance_ladder)

- [List of examples of lengths](/source/List_of_examples_of_lengths)

- [Location of Earth](/source/Location_of_Earth)

- Meteorological subdivisions: - [Microscale meteorology](/source/Microscale_meteorology) - [Misoscale meteorology](/source/Misoscale_meteorology) - [Mesoscale meteorology](/source/Mesoscale_meteorology) - [Synoptic scale meteorology](/source/Synoptic_scale_meteorology)

- [Orders of magnitude (length)](/source/Orders_of_magnitude_(length))

- [Scale (analytical tool)](/source/Scale_(analytical_tool))

- [Scale (geography)](/source/Scale_(geography))

- [Scale (map)](/source/Scale_(map))

- [Scale (ratio)](/source/Scale_(ratio))

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PennU_1-0)** ["Scale"](https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog30/node/317). The Pennsylvania State University. 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Atkinson, Peter M. (2005). "Spatial Scale, Problems of". *Encyclopedia of Social Measurement*. pp. 639–648. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/B0-12-369398-5/00355-8](https://doi.org/10.1016%2FB0-12-369398-5%2F00355-8). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-12-369398-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-12-369398-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["spatial scale"](https://archive.unescwa.org/spatial-scale). *United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia*. 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2024-02-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Science and Art of Meteorology"](https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/science-art-meteorology). *education.nationalgeographic.org*. Retrieved 2024-02-08.

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