TheGraphics Lab is a project to improve the graphical content of the Wikimedia projects. Requests for image improvements can be added to the workshop pages:Illustrations,Photographs andMaps. For questions or suggestions one can use the talk pages:Talk:Graphics Lab,Talk:Illustrations,Talk:Photographs andTalk:Maps. This specific page is the requests page for the Map workshop. Anyone can make a request for a map to be created or improved for a Wikipedia article. The standard format for making a request is shown below, along with general advice, and should be followed. Most maps on the web are in the public domain. Seec:Template:PD-map; no need to create another free map here if it already exists on the web. You are encouraged to share information and request advice from others. Also seepossible conventions toolbox,map tutorials andtopographic map tutorials.
Advice to requesters
What do we do?
Location maps
Area maps (animals, languages, empires, etc.)
Historical and conflict related maps
Battle maps
Technical maps (archaeology, city closeups, etc.)
Sourced requests: If possible, please try to provide areliable source to create a map. This includes a map already on Wikipedia with a reliable source or an external link.
Please check: Please check back regularly to see if progress has been made or if any additional questions need to be answered before the request can be completed.
Direct collaboration: Some mapmakers are especially interested by one topic area. If you notice a mapmaker fitting your needs, consider asking on their personal talk page to request maps.
{{Reqmap}}: To request a map, you can also tag the talk page of the article in need of a map with or {{Reqmapin|Australia}}(articles then appear inCategory:Wikipedia requested maps)
If a request is done to your satisfaction, please mark it with{{resolved}}.
Advice to Graphists
If you have completed work and not received a reply you may use the{{GL Map reply}} template to inform the requester.
Map makers and other visitors to the Graphics Lab may be interested in the RSS feed of changes to this page. You may find ithere.
A map of the British Isles with the locations of all settlements, villages, towns etc. named after wolves, be they in English, Scots, Gaelic, Irish or Welsh. The names of the localities are listed here:Place-Name Evidence for the Former Distribution and Status of Wolves...in Britain. As to where they are located exactly, that will require someone with a greater knowledge of British/Irish geography than I to work out. I know this will be hard work, so anyone willing to take this on will have my sincerest thanks. : P.S., an already completed map is apparently availablehere onWiley.com, but it's subscription only.Mariomassone (talk)11:46, 18 November 2025 (UTC)[reply]
ThePlace-name evidence for the former distribution and status of Wolves and Beavers in Britain article I linked to has grid references (1x1km areas I think), likeSU 4019 for Wooley Green, for nearly all locations - and general areas for others. So a map using a set of coordinates in theData: namespace in Commons and Kartographer should be possible.Commander Keane (talk)14:54, 22 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Mariomassone: is your process going to be to list of all the grid references, convert them to coordinates, and then add them to a map? If we had a list like:
SU 6368
SU 5791
SU 8577
...
(taken from Table 2, p. 206 in the paper)
Then I could run a script to convert to coordinates and then use Wikipedia's in-built mapping to display them. Unfortunately the pdf is scanned poorly, so getting the grid references in a list is tough, even with copy/paste.Commander Keane (talk)00:57, 23 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
@Commander Keane, I'll list the grid references, but this may take some time as there are hundreds. I'll do them in batches:
Visually, it looks okay to me atc:Data:Wolf_place-names_in_the_UK.map, full-screen on a desktop monitor - but the icons are way too bunched in thumbnail view. Not sure what to do about that.
I have put the location and grid reference as the description on the data page so when you click a marker you see them. The title field for each marker I have left blank, but someone could add the actual place-name (egWoolan's wood) for each oneif they like (OCR really struggled; a job for a human).
For general interest:Python code used. I haven't double checked the results, so beware.
@Commander Keane, sorry for the delay, the holidays kept me occupied. I'll be happy to include the place names, however long that may take. For the sake of completeness, would it be possible to include the locations specified for Ireland? Many thanks againMariomassone (talk)12:41, 11 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, I have two requests, if you don't mind. I might be mistaken, but it seems to me that picture 2 is overwritten. If so, is it possible to adjust it? My second request is, if possible, to add the administrative divisions as shown in picture 1. Thank you. --Fayçal.09 (talk)12:16, 4 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Discussion
#1 Oran Province Districts. Map from Wikidata/OpenStreetMap query for places that are (1) an instance of a district of Algeria, and (2) located in the admin territory of Oran Province
#2 Oran Province Communes. Map from Wikidata/OpenStreetMap query. Get districts (see previous example) and retrieves anything that is an instance of those districts.
#3 Algiers Province Districts. Similar to Oran Province Districts map I just changed very lastOran Province(Q231331) toAlgiers Province(Q141026) in the code here. There is a missing white area, I have changed theOSM relation so it may get fixed soon.
#4 Mapframe example. Every Commune is clickable with a popup with a link and District listed. Colours can be changed. Need to use mapframe tag. Updated to grey lines.
Maplink. Due to limitations (I am not 100% sure), this is the best I can do with{{Maplink}}. Clicking only shows the District, not commune. Colours can be changed.
HiFayçal.09. My first map doesn't always show on this page, but when IShow preview it does - there must be a bug. Does it show for you atUser:Commander Keane/Maplink test? Algeria seems to be organised byWilayas (Provinces) > Daïras (Districts) > Communes or Baladiyahs (Municipalities), I am not sure what you mean bydivision. I will place the Algiers Distrtics map here. There may be a template that does what I am doing for any country, someone should have a look.--Commander Keane (talk)10:38, 7 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @Commander Keane, Ok I gives in my requests two pictures (Oran Province map1) and (Oran Province map2). If possible, make administrative divisions in (Oran Province map2) as shown in (Oran Province map1).
HiFayçal.09. I have created two more examples. #4 is the best I think, when you click on a Commune it shows you its name and what District it is in. The colours can be changed; I don't know what looks good. If you think this style of map is desirable, we might look at a template that can make it easily (rather than pasting in the ugly wikicode).--Commander Keane (talk)08:03, 9 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @Commander Keane, thank you much for your effort, okay, from the five photos you created, I'll take the first one (1 Oran Province Districts. Map). If possible, remove all the captions and roads; the photo should be blank. After I will change colors as shown in second picture of mine (Oran Province map2).Fayçal.09 (talk)09:37, 9 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I must have forgotten press save but I meant to say:
Note: the maps are not displaying correctly unless you edit andShow preview
As I am just using Wikidata and OpenStreetMap code within this page to generate the maps (which frustrating do not show correctly due to a MediaWiki bug 😠) I cannot blank the OpenStreetMap captions and roads. My idea was to do it this way so that we can easily generate for any Province for any country. You can access your overwritted version atc:File:Algeria Oran location map.svg by clicking the data next to an old verions (eg19:54, 28 November 2020).Commander Keane (talk)09:55, 9 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Draft of a sample file (arabic)Draft of a sample file (english)
This may be helpful for map creators: An example demonstrating how a legend can be displayed with a mixture of left-to-right and right-to-left languages.
Your example has no legend box! The issue is not only the text but the icons in the legends box. See in the arabic versions the icons are on the right, in the other (normal) versions the icons are one the left. (as shown above)
So it is a matter of using an additionalswitch construction to shift the icons to either the left or right position. Nestedswitch statements are quite complex. The challenging art here is to achieve this in a clear, concise and comprehensible manner.--WikiForMen (talk)20:47, 5 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I am really surprised, that in your example "Seoul" in "he" is displayed correcly WITHOUT assigningstyle="direction:rtl;text-anchor:end" and "Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)" WITHOUT assigningstyle="direction:rtl;text-anchor:start" to the "he"text element! --WikiForMen (talk)21:07, 5 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@WikiForMen: Good point, the legends in the maps I've checked don't have the swatches flipped around. Is that considered important in right-to-left languages?cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)16:34, 7 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@Cmglee: It looks more authentic when the icon is placedbefore the text. - If not, you would need to changestyle="direction:rtl;text-anchor:start" tostyle="direction:rtl;text-anchor:end" so that the text staysclose to the symbol.--WikiForMen (talk)21:38, 7 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
English
Hebrew
Korean
Chinese
Vector graphics, multilingualism (switches) with symbols
Doing complex things in a clear, concise and comprehensible manner.
Define the symbols in the<defs> section, insert them into the map using a<use> statement, and then place the label (in multiple languages) relative (sic!) to the symbol with a second<use> statement.--WikiForMen (talk)21:46, 7 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@WikiForMen: Thanks for experimenting and reporting your findings in this and the previous section. As this page gets archived periodically and so the info will be hard to find again in the future, would you mind writing them up incommons:Category:Multilingual SVG maps, in particular noting why the legend and symbols should be flipped around? Thanks,cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)02:57, 8 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@Cmglee: Thank you for your comment, although I doubt that those seeking advice will find their waythere. I decided to use theMap workshop on the assumption that those seeking advice would end up right here...
Nevertheless, I followed your advice and did my best. I would appreciate your help in proofreading, as I am not a native speaker.
Do you have any other good advice for me on how to deal with multi-line texts skilfully? I find it particularly difficult to split Arabic or Persian text into severaltspan elements... Even selecting, copying and pasting with the text editor is problematic. And does the beginning of the sentence go in the firsttspan element or the end of the sentence?!??
I always hoped that an Arabic or Persian native speaker would show up and I could clarify this with him, but he have not appeared (yet)...--WikiForMen (talk)15:34, 8 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@WikiForMen: Thank you very much for writing and adding it. You're right: the category page isn't one an editor would normally look at; I pasted the wrong link. I've copied the relevant sections tocommons:Commons:Translation_possible/Learn_more#Maps. I, for one, learnt about multilingual SVG from it, so presume others might too.
I'm unfamilar with Arabic or Persian, so don't have an answer. Perhaps ask on the Arabic or Persian Wikipedias?
Hi everyone. I'm gonna start this off by saying that this is my first time here, and I'm a little out of my depth with source code maneuvering. I added images here myself, not certain if that was supposed to be filled by the mapmaker upon completion. My assumption was that the slots were meant to be filled with example maps for improvement. If this was incorrect please let me know.
While making some additions to a page on a village in Zanzibar, I realized that there was no article on Shehias, the smallest administrative unit in Tanzania. I further realized that there were no maps specifically outlining the division of those units, and that the vast majority of the maps for Zanzibar are minimized versions of larger maps of Tanzania. Given that the region has a population of almost two million people, and effectively operates as a separate entity given its semi-autonomous status. I've attached a number of copyrighted materials to assist in the creation of (request) enlarged, modernized administrative subdivision maps of Zanzibar (Shehia and District level (ex.Magharibi-A: Dimani, Fumba, Maungani, etc.)
I figure what's provided is enough detail to create a quality map (Unguja and Pemba both together and separately, preferably), but please let me know if this is asking too much, as I recognize it's a rather complicated task. For the immediate moment the most helpful task would be creating an empty canvas style map as shown in reference A for both Pemba and Unguja (as delineated above). If the spirit so moves you, municipal maps of the individual districts with labeled wards (shehias) would be greatly greatly appreciated. My thanks in advance, and utmost respect to the folks here:CSGinger14 (talk)14:16, 8 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Discussion
@CSGinger14: Just for my own curiousty I am going to talk this through. Tanzania seems to be divided intoRegion >District >Constituency (Subdivisions of Tanzania calls themDivision) >Ward >Shehia.
Shehia's are administered differently to wards, but maybe they fit within wards. You didn't mention wards in your request. I got this fromUnicef Kaskazini-B District profile pp. 2-3 (you linked it above).
Would you be able to re-state your request? I was thinking an unlabelled map for each big island (it is no bother to also put them on one together too), with colouring likeFile:Oran communes de la wilaya.GIF for wards within their district.
(Side note: I don't know if I can fulfil this request. I would have much preferred the approachabove, but Wikidata doesn't cover the ward system (yet!) and I have emailed OpenSreeetMap about the government shapefile licensing)Commander Keane (talk)15:21, 9 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
To start with, an unlabeled map like you described would be incredibly helpful. In the long run I was hoping for a format similar to that ofFile:Fredericksburg-Location.svg,File:USA Colorado location map.svg, orFile:Kaskazini A District in Unguja Kaskazini 2022.svg (this last one is more along the lines of what I was picturing). If it ended up looking like the Oran file, that would be perfectly fine as well. The one you've created for Pemba looks excellent, I tried running that shapefile as you had and all I was able to produce was a bunch of data points after I unzipped the package, would love an explanation of how to go about that if you're willing. It may be beneficial to zoom in on Unguja and Pemba specifically, that might help to allow for great enhancement than would be possible if you included the Tanzanian mainland. The look of it was excellent regardless though, it gives a good indication of how the island districts line up to those on the mainland.
'
From what I can tell, Zanzibar's shehia essentially holds the same function as a ward on the mainland. I'm not entirely certain if the two are interchangeable or the latter occasionally subsumes the former. From what I can tell, a ward might only encompass a single shehia or many.* In both instances, they're meant to represent administration at the most basic level. In effect, each shehia (*ward*) encompasses the immediate environs of a given village, or neighborhood, in the case ofStone Town /Ng'ambo. Constituencies serve as the delineations for parliamentary elections (I believe both on the mainland and for theRevolutionary Government of Zanzibar). Either wards or shehias are the basis for electing district councils (hence the 'District' demarcations).This site might be helpful to get a clearer picture of the mechanisms involved (After adding that I realized that in fact it has absolutely no information on Zanzibar, go figure!)I'd like to start first with Shehias, given that they appear to be the easiest to find clear cartographic representations of. Eventually this could proceed to the ward system, but I think that given the structure of administration, the former is a good place to start.
Extract into a folder (you need all the files from the .zip)
UsingQGIS (free and available on Windows and Linux), start a new project and drag and drop just the .shp file (TANZANIA_2022PHC_WARDS_SHAPEFILES.shp) into QGIS. You can import it without drag/drop, but it not necessarily File/Open so you will have to look that up).
It just worked for me, like magic.
(Optional) There is a single layer. You can right click > properties > Labels side-tab and select Value asward_name
To save as an SVG, line up the framing you want, then Project > New print layout... (choose a name) > Add map (scroll with addition icon of left) > Drag a rectangle on the canvas (Tanzania should appear)
Layout > Export as SVG.
The file is called Wards, and the features (shapefile terminology) haveward_name but they are shehias. So yeah, the Bureau is confused about the definition, must be a mainland thing.
I am still thinking about your request.
Data associated with each feature from the 2022 Census Shapefile (out of interest)
@CSGinger14: I have uploaded some maps (displayed here). I am having frustrating trouble with my PC so I can't do much more that this. I can walk someone through the process and provide some files if they want to continue working on this data.Commander Keane (talk)01:38, 22 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @Commander Keane, sorry for taking so long to respond, and thank you so much, these look excellent. These should work perfectly, and if not (unlikely) I'm certain that they can serve as a high quality launching / reference point for other editors. This is greatly appreciated, and I hope I'll have the chance to work with you on a similar project in the future. Hope you're doing well, and all the best,
@CSGinger14: indeed, I think they are just a starting point. I successfully contacted the Licensing Working Group at OpenStreetMap (the maps are available on any Wikipedia article) and they have given the green light to add the data there. Hopefully someone map-savvy can follow through there, and then it will be simple to illustrate all sorts of Tanzanian administrative areas. I am doing well, and I hope you are too.Commander Keane (talk)11:07, 31 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @AAEexecutive, you'll need to place this under a separate request, as your map isn't relevant to this specific discussion. There are instructions at the top of the page on how to go about this.
@Abo Yemen as you are presumably aware North/South Yemen's borders were always contested and often not properly defined or in a state of flux. What year's boundaries do you want? I have a number of sources:
Hello @Isochrone, I actually need multiple maps from different eras (if you'd call them that). 1st map would be the one of the PRSY from 1967 till 1971, which controlled Kamaran and claimed theKhuriya Muriya Islands andSharurah (seeal-Wadiah War. The 2nd and 3rd maps would be of the territorial changes during theFirst andSecond Yemenite Wars. The last one related to South Yemen (which we already have) would be the post-1979 map. As for the Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen), a map of theNDF Rebellion is needed.A map of theFLOSY raids in South Yemen (future article that I'm planning on making) would be really cool to have. I saw a map of it before, but I forgot in which book it was. I'll start looking for it.Also, is it possible to have a map of thePFLOAG's greatest territorial control of Oman during theDhofar rebellion? or do I start a new request?𐩣𐩫𐩧𐩨Abo Yemen (𓃵)11:43, 29 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@Abo Yemen you presumably understand that orthographic maps are designed for clearly identifiable regions and here it would perhaps be more appropriate for a normal map. Do you have any other sources than those I included? Would you like separate maps or one with all the boundaries superimposed and a legend? –Isochrone (talk)20:31, 2 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I still don't understand how that contradicts the map, which said Ukraine was in the Coalition of the Willing and not that it sent troops, but note that another editor has already made your requested changes to the map.Justin Kunimune (talk)13:21, 11 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
There is currently anFAC for this article and a commentator mentioned that a map of locations should be included. Afterwards, my co-nominator created the map currently in the article, but it is too large and the cropping of the map makes it hard to determine where these locations are in Canada. We are hoping someone can create a better map to use in the article. --Z1720 (talk)01:10, 15 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Discussion
I just want to put in a good word for this request. I'm the reviewer who suggested coming here. I could build something with an OSM-connected mapframe, but it would look like somebody with no artistic skill built it with mapframe. For a FA-level article, I think we need to go the extra distance and get somebody custom-tailored by an artist who really knows they way around cartography.RoySmith(talk)19:48, 18 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Hi @Isochrone thanks for taking a look at this. I've already gone ahead and created three maps for that article using{{maplink}}, which is pretty much the limit of my skills. I think we're at the stage where the maps I made are good enough to satisfyWP:FACR but I could see ways they could be improved for the future.
The first map, in "Early life" is the simplest since it just shows the three locations discussed in the adjoining text. I think it could be improved by having the locations labeled right on the map instead of having to match up the numbers in the caption. The other two maps ("Coppermine expedition" and "Mackenzie River expedition") share the problem of having to look up numbered items in the caption, but in addition, could benefit from having the dates when the expeditions reached those locations.
So are we thinking perhaps a static map instead? Or something that somehow fits into the existing maplink framework? (As you note maplink only supports web Mercator). –Isochrone (talk)23:34, 27 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I'm guessing a set of hand-drawn static maps will give us the best result. I only used maplink because it's the technology I know (when the only tool you have is a hammer ...)RoySmith(talk)23:38, 27 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Currently, if you download both of these two SVG images that I have provided, you would notice that the Halabja Governorate is actually apart of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Instead, I would like for Halabja to be separated from Sulaymaniyah and be distinct parts of each other in said SVG file.
Do note that I copied this request from righthere as I didn't see anybody comment on my request. I'm hoping that this time that someone would come here to actually fufill my suggestion on this one.GuesanLoyalist (talk)12:39, 18 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@Cmglee: you think you could do this? (Pinging you because I think you're a pretty good expert in SVGs, so you may able to split Halabja and Sulaymaniyah as separate. No pressure though)GuesanLoyalist (talk)02:20, 4 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@GuesanLoyalist: I can't quite understand what is requested. I see that the election results diagram has three territories from the northeast of the Governorates diagram. The southernmost one is labelled Al-Sulaymaniyah. I don't see any labelled Halabja.cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)09:04, 4 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Also: If you download the SVG of both images and open it in a photo editing app, you should see that the border differentiating halabja from sulaymaniyah is a simple line, so please work on that one if possible
That was orignally my request, but I have now figured it out on how to do it by myself, sorry for not responding to you earrier as I thought I had posted this comment to you. turns out I didn't unfortunately :(
@GuesanLoyalist: Glad you sorted it out. May I suggest thickening the discs' outlines (stroke) as the KDP discs are hard to see on Erbil as both have the same colour?cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)01:37, 6 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
@Cmglee Actually... I changed my mind on the seats thing, I like the current borders for said seats but to still try to fulfill your request, I've made the map borders more thicker then before. From 0.5px to 1px specifically.GuesanLoyalist (talk)02:49, 6 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
If someone could list the country codes for each categories, I'd gladly redraw it as an SVG with editable text (and the misspellings fixed!)cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)12:15, 1 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Please make territories lost before 1900 (before the maximum territorial extent) visually distinct inFile:The_British_Empire_5.png. These are the Thirteen Colonies, Florida, Mosquito Coast, Ionian Islands, Heligoland, and Minorca. Thanks in advance! --TompaDompa (talk)23:09, 18 January 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I'm working on theNile River article, planning to get it toWP:Featured Article status. Of course, a great map is required. I've hunted in Wiki Commons, but cannot find a decent map. The closest I can find are the three images displayed above ... but none of them are great.
I only need one map. I'm displaying three example maps above as examples of "close, but not great".
The desired map would be similar to the first (left) map shown above, with these improvements:
Higher resolution: about 1,000 x 3,000 pixels
Eliminate the border region around the perimeter (with lat/long numbers) ... not needed
Things about the first map that are great and should be retained:
Topographic (elevation) coloring inside the Nile basin
Emphasize the Nile River drainage basin by changing color scheme inside/outside the basin
Nile river (and its lakes) must prominently displayed in a bold blue color
No textual labels at all on the map
National boundary lines (should be fairly faint)
Things about the first map that _could_ be changed if it helps the graphist/cartographer:
Okay to change the topo/elevation coloring to another scheme
@M.Bitton - I plan on nominating theNile article for Featured Article status in April/May. So having the map in mid-March should give me time to place annotations on top of it (dams, cataracts, tourist sights, etc) in time for the FA nomination. I don't need help with placing annotations on top: I just need a hi-resolution background map (as described above). Any help you can give would be appreciated!Noleander (talk)14:00, 11 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
There is abathymetric map here but I was never certain if the CC licence there actually applies to a work that is only partially NOAA's. Regarding the landforms, I think "de Lange, Peter J. (2015). "Recent vegetation succession and flora of Macauley Island, southern Kermadec Islands". Bulletin of the Auckland Museum (20): 207–230 – via ResearchGate" has some sources. --Jo-Jo Eumerus (talk)12:12, 4 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Discussion
The page states "This image is made available as a Public Domain Work" which means it's likely ok. Even if the data is proprietary, its depiction can be free, if released as public domain.cmɢʟeeτaʟκ(please add{{ping|cmglee}} to your reply)01:46, 6 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
Map of the County of Boulogne and Boulonnais estates in England
I would be very grateful for a map that shows theCounty of Boulogne and theCounty of Lens together with theHonour of Boulogne (estates in England belonging to the count of Boulogne). The source is the maps in Heather Tanner'sFamilies, Friends and Allies: Boulogne and Politics in Northern France and England, c.879-1160. A part of her map of France can be seenhere; I think it is about sufficient. Ideally the new map will contain the feudal subdivisions of France shown in this source map (but perhaps best omit the numbers denoting divisions outside the chosen part of the map).Here is the part of Tanner's map of England that contains the English estates.Surtsicna (talk)14:03, 6 February 2026 (UTC)[reply]
I am just wondering can somebody make a US map for Percentage of vote received by Pat Buchanan in the 2000 presidential election by state or territory. The darker the color, the higher the %, the lower the % the less darker the color is. The color could be purple.