Summary tables of each major map convention used in Wikipedia, across all languages. While the conventions are strongly recommended, cartographers are free to fit their specific needs. Each convention has its own sub-page, containing:
- An introduction explaining the style objectives and the most convenient way to create a such map.
- A color summary table with two (up-to-date) map examples.
- The naming convention for upload, and other advice like the scale or the legend.
- An up-to-date SVG template.
- Further details on history, limits, and possible expansions.
- A gallery of examples.
The image renaming tool working on Commons (request this tool · renaming guidelines), and for admins, the naming conventions can be used to harmonize image names and map names.
Overview
edit| Convention sub-page | Example image | Main feature and usage | Example topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| /Orthographic maps (en) |  |
World location | Countries, political entities |
| /Location maps (2008 standard) /Location maps ("N" standard) |
  Madrid Madrid (Spain) |
Political entity borders and divisions, focus on the subject, allow geolocation (automatic dots) | Countries, political entities, cities. |
| /Locator maps |  |
Blank area for creating Locator maps. Based on simplified Location maps. | A province in the country (when the blank map is actually filled). |
| /Area maps (en) |  |
Maps that highlight one subject area, primarily for species distributions. | Locator maps: a country (red) in its region and in the world (corner map). Multi-area: ranges of animals species, languages. |
| /Gradient maps |  |
Areas colored to show a numerical statistic | Population density, per-capita income |
| /Historical maps (en) |  |
Historical maps. Complex maps. | Empire with its main cities, neighboring powers. Offensives, battles with units and moves. |
| /Technical maps (en) |  |
Display building locations | Archaeology, city close-ups (OpenStreetMap). |
| /Topographic maps (fr) |  |
Display relief, often used as comprehensive backgrounds for other maps | Backgrounds for maps of vegetation, agriculture, human settlements as topography may explain a lot with these. |
| /Exchanges maps (fr) |  |
Display exchanges and transport lines | Roads, freeways, railroads, canals, sea roads, money flux, human flux, etc. |
Our choices
editMost of these conventions are supported by active groups of map makers, and have been created and improved through long and serious discussions. The main intentions are: to display efficiently selected data; to create screen, web, print, creation & share friendly maps; to create a wiki style free of nationalism issues. Accordingly, these conventions provide web suitable screen/web/print/creation/share friendly colours, icons and labels. On the other side, not being a government supported project, we do not have to support state affirmation and nationalistic views, also, these conventions advise that you "do not wipe neighboring countries out of your map", and to use dashed international borders (see Image:Maps_template-en.svg).
SVG Tool box template
editUse an SVG editor. If you don't have one, try Inkscape, free of charge and good enough, more suggestions on the /Software sub-page.
Download the SVG toolbox, drag and drop into your SVG map, ungroup, and enjoy :]
See also
edit- Wikipedia:Using maps and similar sources in Wikipedia articles, a policy essay
- Wikipedia:Why mapframe maps?, an essay in favor of using {{maplink}} over static image files
Map conventions and Map Project | |||
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