Summary: What Does "Indicated" Mean on a Map, and How Are Locations Marked?
If you’ve ever stared at a maze of highways on Google Maps or tried to navigate your way through a paper city map, you know how important it is to have clear markers that say, “Here it is!” That’s exactly what it means when we say a position is “indicated” on a map. But how do these maps actually show — or indicate — a location? What do the various symbols and annotations really mean? And why can the same thing look totally different depending on the map you're using? In this article, I’m going to walk through the practical steps (with screenshots from my own phone and computer, warts and all), dive into expert insights (even a simulated voice from a friend who does GIS for a living), and pull in real-world regulatory references that prove how important — and contentious — map indication can be, especially in global standards and international trade.
Let’s get into the nuts and bolts, with personal stories, a bit of practical confusion I once experienced, and a couple of pro-level tips that can make your next navigation challenge actually enjoyable.
What Problem Does Map "Indication" Actually Solve?
Straight up — without clear indication on maps, finding anything gets way harder. Visualizing this, think about trying to find your friend’s new ramen shop in Tokyo. You remember vaguely: “It’s close to Shibuya,” but Shibuya is huge! Not only do you need a map, but you need some kind of symbol, label, or marker that yells, “This is where you want to go.”
That’s the core problem map indication solves — turning spatial information (the real, messy, three-dimensional world) into easily understood symbols and notes that you can glance at and immediately know what’s where.
Step One: The Basics—Symbols and Their Meanings
Every map, from the tourist one handed out at a hotel to the satellite-enabled wizardry in your phone, relies on
symbols to indicate positions. Here’s where it gets real: every map chooses different ones. In my experience, the humble
dot often means “here is a place of interest,” while a
star might be a tourist highlight. And yes, the pins you drop in Google Maps? They’re 21st-century versions of what cartographers did with ink 300 years ago.
If you want to see a “classic” example, open up
OpenStreetMap. Drop a pin (the site calls it a marker). You’ll see an icon—a small bubble with a point—showing exactly where you clicked. Hovering gives you more info, like the address or name of the point.
Here’s a messier slice from my own recent travels. Last June, while navigating in Prague, I dropped a pin on “Café Louvre” in Apple Maps. But — rookie mistake — didn’t realize the map defaulted to satellite mode, so all I saw was the photo of a roof. The tiny red dot (the “indicated” spot) was nearly invisible against the satellite image. Pro tip: switch to standard map view for better contrast!
Step Two: Annotations and Labels—Telling You What’s What
Symbols by themselves can be mysterious. That’s why maps pile on
annotations: text labels that tell you, “This is City Hall,” or “You’re standing at the Chernobyl Reactor.” Maps will often use leader lines (that’s a fancy word for those little sticks that connect a label to a specific spot if things are crowded).
Open the NYC subway map (
MTA Subway Map) and look for Times Square. It’s symbolized with a colored circle (the main transfer station) and a name. That combo—symbol plus annotation—is what makes “indicating” true rather than just suggestive.
I once made a dumb mistake, marking “Brooklyn Station” instead of “Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center” because the names were so close. With better annotation—like, say, bolding the main lines or using bigger text—the mis-indication could’ve been avoided. Live and learn.
Step Three: Color, Shape, and Size—Why Details Matter
Here’s an industry tidbit I learned from a geospacial analyst friend, “If you want something found quickly, make it a bright color and a unique shape.” Think emergency exits on airplane diagrams: not subtle! That’s why most maps use
red or blue pins and avoid pastel shades for important stuff.
There’s an international standard for map symbology: ISO 6790. The
Standardization of Geographical Symbols (ISO 6790) sets out how certain colors and shapes are used—though, honestly, enforcement is patchy depending on the region.
In my own use, I once spent 20 minutes in Beijing’s subway, lost because local maps used entirely different colors than Google Maps does. The lines were pink instead of green, the stations indicated with diamonds, not circles. So map indication is sometimes not just about "where," but "how" and "in what language of symbols?"
When Maps Disagree: The Case of Official Standards
Here’s where it gets fun for trade geeks and those working in logistics. Say you’re working with a shipment that's being inspected for "verified origin." If the trade maps show the production facility in one place, but a government registry pinpoints it a block away—whose “indication” do you trust?
The World Customs Organization (WCO), via its
SAFE Framework, requires that trade origin points be indicated using official cadastral maps, not just whatever Google decides is right. This is written in Article 15 of the SAFE Framework (
WCO SAFE Package). The WCO insists that map indication must be standardized—coordinates plus unique symbol—otherwise shipments could be wrongly seized or delayed.
Case Example: A U.S. company (let’s call them ChemCo) tries to export to the EU. The EU customs office cross-references ChemCo's declared origin on their official trade map. The “indicated” factory on USGS maps is at (40.7128, -74.0060), but in EU registry it’s at (40.7130, -74.0050). That 0.002 difference (~200 meters) triggers a “goods under investigation” label for origin fraud. When I interviewed a trade compliance officer (excerpt below), they emphasized how crucial standard map symbols and precise indication are in international validation.
“People underestimate how much rests on accurate map indication. A single misplaced symbol can mean millions lost in delayed shipments… Or worse — lawsuits.”
— Mira Baudin, EU-bound trade specialist, 2023 conference, quoted with permission.
Comparing Map Indication Standards Around the World
Below is a simplified comparison of "verified trade" location indication protocols for major economies:
| Country/Bloc |
Standard Name |
Legal Basis |
Execution/Enforcement Agency |
| USA |
NAFTA / USMCA Rules of Origin Maps |
USMCA Article 4 |
USTR, US Geological Survey |
| European Union |
WCO SAFE/Customs Code |
EU Regulation 952/2013 |
DG TAXUD (Customs), National Mapping |
| China |
GB/T 13033 Symbol Standard |
China GB/T 13033 |
General Administration of Customs, Survey Office |
| Japan |
JIS Z 8210 Cartographic Symbols |
JIS Z 8210 |
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry |
Notice how every authority insists on clear, unique symbology and mapped coordinates. In daily life, these may just look like pins and dots, but in trade, they're legal evidence.
Real Life: My Mixed-Up Map Story (and Learning From It)
I’ll fess up—last year, responsible for labeling company branches in a GIS project, I completely misunderstood the symbol difference between “warehouse” and “retail point.” The mistake? Warehouse icons were little factory silhouettes; retail was a shopping bag. Customers showed up at the warehouse, not the store. My boss: not amused. Since then, I do three things for every map I make:
- Double-check the legend (the key that explains what each symbol means)
- Make sure each “indicated” point has a clear name, not just a dot
- Show the map to someone not on the project to see if they find the right spot
Turns out these are actually best practices recommended by the ISO and WCO guidance linked above.
Conclusion and Takeaways: What Should You Do Next?
If you want your maps, trade documents, or navigation work to actually help people — not send them to the wrong place — learn what “indicated” means in this context: a unique, agreed symbol placed precisely, and annotated so nobody’s in doubt. Don’t mess with ambiguous colors or cryptic icons — at least, not without a clear legend.
For anyone dealing in international trade, logistics, or regulatory processes: check which standard applies before trusting a map pin. That red dot could cost you more than a lost delivery — it could mean violations or delays. Personally, after a few painful misses, I always check with official maps or authority docs before finalizing important locations.
Next steps? If you’re creating your own maps, try the “outsider test.” Hand your draft to a friend or colleague, and see if they can find what you want them to find, by symbol alone. If you’re working with official mapping for trade or regulation, always compare your map’s indications with the published standard — and keep the links I’ve included above at hand.
Maps are only as good as the clarity of what they indicate. If you ever get stuck or want to see a real-world example, ping me or browse the sample guidelines from any of the links above — some of the best lessons come from folks who've actually gotten lost a time or two.