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Colour countries, states and regions
Click any country, state, county or postcode area to fill it with a colour. Add a legend, labels and a title, and you have a clean, shareable colour-coded map.
How to make a colour-coded map
- Choose your regions. The world's countries are always available. For more detail add states & provinces, districts & counties, municipalities or postcode areas for a country.
- Create your legend entries. Add a category for each colour – for example "Visited", "Planned", "Not yet" – and pick its colour.
- Click to colour. Select a category, then click regions on the map. Click again to clear a region.
- Or colour by data. If your layer has a number or category column, use Colour by field to shade every region automatically (a choropleth).
- Finish it. Add a title, turn the legend on, tweak the borders and choose a basemap – or none at all for a clean, print-style look.
- Share it. Link, embed or export (PNG, PDF and GIS formats with any purchase).
Popular colour-coded maps
- Countries you have visited, or a travel bucket list.
- Where your product ships, or which states you are licensed in.
- Election results, survey answers and opinion polls by region.
- Sales, coverage or market share by state or county.
- Language, time zone or climate maps for teaching.
Picking colours that read well
| Your data is… | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Categories (yes/no, region type) | Distinct colours | Visited / planned / not yet |
| Low to high numbers | One colour, light to dark | Population, sales |
| Above and below an average | Two colours diverging from a neutral middle | Growth vs decline |
Limit yourself to about seven categories. Beyond that, people struggle to match colours to the legend – group small categories into "Other" instead.
Related
Tips for a clean colour-coded map
- Use thin, light borders so small regions stay visible.
- Give "no data" regions a neutral grey rather than leaving them blank, so viewers know they weren't forgotten.
- Put the legend where it covers ocean or empty space.
- Check the colours in the mobile preview – small screens make similar shades harder to tell apart.
Frequently asked questions
Can I colour US states or Australian states?
Yes. Add the states & provinces layer for the United States, Australia or any other country, then click states to colour them.
Is the world countries layer free?
Yes. World country borders are built in and never count toward your two free data layers.
Can I add a legend?
Yes. Every colour category appears in an automatic legend that you can rename, reorder and show or hide.
Can I make a map with no background?
Yes. Choose the blank basemap for a clean, poster-style map of just your coloured regions.
Can I download my coloured map as an image?
PNG and PDF export, plus GIS formats, are included with any data layer purchase.
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Your map is two minutes away
Pick a country, add the places that matter, draw on it, and share it with the world - on any device.