<P> Apart from showing just contour lines, topographic maps also use a lot of map symbols to represent its features . Features are represented by using point, line, and area symbols . Individual features, such as houses, are shown as point symbols like a small dot or square . However, a cluster of houses or neighborhood can be shown as a shaded area or polygon . Areas of importance or landmarks may receive special symbols that represent what they are . For instance, a church may be symbolized as a picture of a little church or cross or the town hall may have a special color or symbol . </P> <P> Many of the symbol feature on maps of the earth will be shown by straight, curved, dashed, or solid lines . They may also be colored to represent different classes of information . The typical color standard for topographic maps depicts contours in brown, bodies of water in blue, boundaries in black, and grids and roads in red . Topographic maps may use different colors to represent area features . Most topographic maps will use green for vegetation or national parks and wildlife management areas . They will also use blue for rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water . Red may also be used to represent areas of significant importance . </P> <P> A map is a smaller representation of an area on the earth's surface; therefore, map symbols are used to represent real objects . Without symbols, maps would not be possible . Both shapes and colors can be used for symbols on maps . A small circle may mean a point of interest, with a brown circle meaning recreation, red circle meaning services, and green circle meaning rest stop . Colors may cover larger areas of a map, such as green representing forested land and blue representing waterways . To ensure that a person can correctly read a map, a map legend is a key to all the symbols used on a map . It is like a dictionary so you can understand the meaning of what the map represents / </P> <P> There are certain rules to follow with map symbols . The representative symbols should always be placed on the left and defined to the right . This allows for the reader to view the symbol first, then its definition, which is customary in English dictionaries . In most cases, representative symbols should be vertically displayed and the symbols should be horizontally centred . The symbols should be vertically centred with the definitions . The definitions are supposed to be horizontally centred to the left . </P>

What is the list of symbols on a map called