Maps use colors too. Colors help you see things quickly, even from far away.
Key idea
On many maps, blue means water, green means parks, forests or low land, and brown or tan means mountains or dry land. But each map's key tells you for sure.
Why it works
Blue looks like water and green looks like plants, so these colors are easy to remember. Many mapmakers use them, but not all. A mapmaker can pick any colors, as long as the key explains them.
Worked example: Why so many colors?
On the map of South America, Brazil and Peru are different colors. Is the land in Peru really the color on the map?
- The real land has deserts, mountains and forests of many colors.
- The mapmaker colored each country differently.
- That way you can see where one country ends and the next begins.
Answer: No. The colors just help you tell the countries apart.
Common mistake
Some children think the colors show the real color of the land. On a map like the one above, the colors only show which country is which. Look at the key, or the map's title, to learn what the colors mean.
For the grown-up. Color a simple map together with crayons: blue for a pond, green for a park, gray for roads. Then make a key in the corner with the same colors.