What is the significance of colours in map reading?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Topographic maps have unique markings that make them technically useful on the trail. Colors and symbols add the detail unique to a topographic map. These details may not be found in gazetteers or travel guides. Map detail includes important information about elevation, water, structures, trails, ground cover and roads; and much more.
Colors stand out from the map and provide identification to many features such as vegetation and water. Colors represent natural and man-made features of the earth.
Coupled with contour lines, colors add fabric to the features and terrain.
Several of the principle colors include:
– Blue – water (streams, lakes, permanent snow fields and glaciers, etc.)
– Green – forest and vegetation
– White – a general lack of vegetation
– Brown – contour lines (elevation information)
– Black – man-made/cultural features (buildings, place names, boundary lines, roads, etc.)
– Red – Highways and major roads, Township/Range/Section information
– Pink – urban areas
– Purple – reflect revisions to a map but is no longer used on maps in production