Symbols are visual signs used on maps to represent real world features like roads, rivers, buildings, or boundaries. Because maps cannot show everything in real size, symbols simplify information and save space. A legend, also called a key, explains the meaning of these symbols so readers can understand the map correctly. Without a legend, a map would be confusing and difficult to interpret. Symbols and legends together make maps clear, readable, and effective tools for communicating geographic information to different users.