Question

What do the different colors in the map represent?
A. Colours to represent area features.
B. Boundaries in black.
C. Bodies of water in blue.
D. All of the above.

Answer 1

Hint: The colour used in maps have a relationship to an object. The Mapmakers always use a colour which best suits or shares similarities on the ground. Different colours are used to depict different elevations, political divisions, roads etc.

Complete answer:
The word Map has been derived from the medieval Latin word ‘Mappa Mundi.’ Mappa means cloth and Mundi means cloth. Therefore a two-dimensional representation of the surface of the earth came to be known as Map. Map-making or the practice of crafting representation of the earth upon a flat surface is known as Cartography and the one who makes maps is known as Cartographer. Basically, there are two types of maps, Political Maps and Physical Maps. Thus to represent certain features, cartographers use colour on maps. There is always a consistency in the use of colour in a single map and this consistency is often present in the maps made by different cartographers. The colour on the maps has a relationship to a thing or feature on the ground. For example, the colour chosen for water is always blue. While talking about Political Maps, that shows the government boundaries which are represented by the black colour. Whereas, Physical Maps are used to show changes in elevation.
So, the correct answer is Option D

Note: In Political Maps, Cartographers use four or more colours to represent different countries, internal divisions of countries, states and provisions are examples of it. While on Physical Maps, different colours are used to represent a single ground, like blues are used for waters and dark blue represents deep waters.