Geographers use many different types of maps. Topographic maps are particularly useful, but geographers also use atlas maps of regions, countries, continents and the world. 

Physical Map: This type of map shows land and water features. The colors used on physical maps include brown or green for land and blue for water. Physical maps may also use colors to show elevation. Elevation is the height of an area above sea level.

Topographic Map: A topographic map is similar to a physical map in that it shows different physical landscape features.

Unlike physical maps, this type of map uses xontour lines instead of colours to show changes in the landscape.

Political Map: This type of map shows the names and borders of countries. It also shows the location of cities and other human-made features of a place. Often, this map identifies major physical features of a land area.

Special-Purpose Map: This type of map shows patterns such as climate, natural resources, or population. It provides special information that political and physical maps do not.