The main parts of a map you need to understand include the title, map key, map scale, grid and a compass rose. Explore map reading to get your bearings. See more

The title, also called the heading, of a map is typically found at the top of the map. It tells you exactly what the map is showing. The title will be in a large font and describe in detail wh… See more

All the map symbols are defined in the map key, or map legend. The terms “key” and “legend” are often used interchangeably, but some maps have both a key and a legend. In t… See more

Maps are usually much smaller than the actual locations they show, so the distance on a map is also much smaller than the actual distance of the locations. The scale indicator, o… See more