Wikipedia:Maps for Wikipedia

This is an information page.

It is not an encyclopedic article, nor one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia's norms, customs, technicalities, or practices. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting.

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WP:MAPS

This page has links to templates, workspaces, and categories that can help guide users with the multiple methods of creating and curating maps and legends on Wikipedia.

Requesting maps, map features, and assistance with issues

Template:Map requested, a way to request a map be created for an article on its talk page
Wikipedia:Graphics Lab/Map workshop, a place to request a map be created for a Wikipedia article
commons:Commons:Graphic Lab/Map workshop, a place to request a map be created for Wikimedia Commons

Places to discuss mapping best practices and issues include the following:

Legends

{{Legend}}
- See Category:Legend templates for derivatives

User-editable maps

These SVG maps have user-editable sections (any text editor) to allow creation of more maps on more topics. Just paste in a list of states and values. See examples at Commons:Category:English-language SVG maps of the United States made with templates. Feel free to create map templates for other countries too. Cmglee may be able to help with that.

Version 2: Convert a US list/table to a state-by-state data map. With examples and step-by step instructions. Example:
Homicide rates per 100,000 by state. FBI.

Simple map below with state names and colored states. See its talk page.
Medicaid expansion map of US. Affordable Care Act

Editing or generating maps

Automated mapping

Example of a {{Maplink}} map

Example of a {{Mapbox}} map

class=notpageimage|

Example of a {{Location map}} map

200km
125miles

Pittsburgh

L a k e E r i e

PENNSYLVANIA

Example of {{OSM Location map}} map at 'zoom=5'

Templates for making automated maps on Wikipedia include:

{{Maplink}} – Automated, using OpenStreetMap (OSM) maps
- {{Mapbox}} – Derivation just displaying a link to a map
- {{Infobox mapframe}} – Version with simpler code intended for infobox use
- {{Rapid transit OSM map}} – Version to easily show rapid transit maps
{{Location map}} – The "pushpin-style" maps requiring a base image and coordinates preset for its corners
- {{Location map+}} – Allows for multiple markers
- {{Location map many}} – Allows multiple markers and labels
{{OSM Location map}} – Combines features from the above two styles, with OSM maps for all scales and locations, onto which pushpin points/shapes/marks/graphics, overlays, images, and text can be added.
{{Graph:Map}} (Not functioning since April 2023)

Other mapping methods

Example of a static image map

Many maps on Wikipedia use static image files, in which content does not update dynamically. These files are typically in PNG or SVG format, and are listed at Commons:Category:Maps. In order to update or alter such a map, changes must be made manually using a editing program.