Which colors are used on a military map?

• A. Black, Red-Brown, Blue, Green, Brown, Red
• B. Black, Blue, Green
• C. Red, White, Yellow, Black
• D. Brown, Purple, Orange

Answer: (A)

On a military map, colors are used to instantly distinguish different kinds of features: water, vegetation, elevation, and man-made or cultural details. The six colors that appear together in standard military map symbology are black, blue, green, brown, red-brown, and red.

Black marks man-made features and labels such as buildings, roads, railways, and boundaries. Blue denotes water features like rivers, lakes, and ponds. Green represents vegetation, including forests and other green-covered areas. Brown is used for relief and terrain features, especially contour lines and elevation information that show the shape of the land. Red-brown provides additional relief detail and is used for certain terrain and contour indications as well as other non-forested features tied to elevation. Red highlights important cultural features such as major roads and built-up areas.

This set covers the core information conveyed on typical military maps, whereas other color combinations include colors not used in that standard palette.