On flat submaps of maps of non-positive curvature

We prove that for every $r>0$ if a non-positively curved $(p,q)$-map $M$ contains no flat submaps of radius $r$, then the area of $M$ does not exceed $Crn$ for some constant $C$. This strengthens a theorem of Ivanov and Schupp. We show that an infinite $(p,q)$-map which tessellates the plane is quasi-isometric to the Euclidean plane if and only if the map contains only finitely many non-flat vertices and faces. We also generalize Ivanov and Schupps result to a much larger class of maps, namely to maps with angle functions.