map key
Chart's symbol decoder
A map key is the legend explaining the symbols, colors, and conventions used on a map.
It tells you what the little tent icon means, which color represents water, or how thick a line must be to indicate a highway.
Without the map key, many maps would be indecipherable: Check the map key to see what the dotted lines represent.
- contour linesLines joining equal elevations
- symbolsMarks conveying meaning
- decodeConvert from cipher
- point of interestNotable place worth visiting
- pictogramsImages conveying meaning
you are here · legend · color codes · color coding · annotations · scale · compass rose · north arrow · hatching · coordinates · shading · icons · heatmaps · grid system · patterns · index · landmarks · regions
- mapmakingcartographer, mapmaker, compass rose, topographer, surveyor
- 20th century world mapsatlas, globe, world atlas, compass rose, latitude
- digital mapscoordinates, zoom levels, labels, directions, basemap
- Iowa mapsDes Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City
- map symbolscompass rose, scale bar, north arrow, symbols, pictograms
- topo mapscontour lines, contours, scale bar, benchmarks, topo maps