The soil map is a geographical representation that shows the diversity of soil types and soil properties (PH, textures, organic matter, depth) in the area of ​​interest usually, it is the final result of a soil survey inventory. Soil maps are most commonly used for land evaluation, spatial planning, agricultural extension, environmental protection and similar projects.[1] Traditional soil maps usually show only the general distribution of soils, accompanied by the soil survey report. Many new soil maps are derived using digital soil mapping techniques.[2] Such maps typically have richer context and display greater spatial detail than traditional soil maps. Soil maps produced using (geo)statistical techniques also include an estimate of model uncertainty.

In the digital age, soil maps come in various digital vector and raster formats and are used for various applications in geosciences and environmental sciences. In this context, soil maps are only visualizations of soil resource inventories commonly stored in a Soil Information System (SIS), of which the bulk is a Geographic Soil Database. A Soil Information System is basically a systematic collection of complete maps (values ​​of soil target variables available for the entire area of ​​interest) and gridded or vector soil class and property maps with an accompanying report, user manual and metadata. A SIS is in most cases a combination of polygon and point maps linked with attribute tables for profile observations, soil mapping units and soil classes. Different elements of a SIS can be manipulated and then displayed against the spatial reference (grids or polygons).

For example, soil profiles can be used to make spatial predictions of different soil chemical and physical properties. In the case of pedometric mapping, both predictions and simulations (2D or 3D, geographic location plus soil depth) of the values ​​are visualized and used for GIS modeling.

It is important to distinguish between the following types of soil maps:.

• - Hand-drawn soil polygon maps representing the distribution of soil types.

• - Simulated or predicted 2D/3D soil property maps (primary or secondary soil properties).

• - Simulated or predicted (2D) soil class maps.

Soil maps must also be distinguished that show primary soil attributes, that is, soil attributes originally described or measured in the field, and inferred soil attributes, also called secondary soil information, that is, soil properties in the context of land use: soil production capacity, soil reaction to certain use, soil functions, soil degradation measures, etc.[3]​.