An HTML image map allows multiple clickable areas on a single image, with each area linking to different URLs. It works using the tag with the usemap attribute and the
An HTML image map is a way to define multiple clickable areas on a single image, where each area links to a different URL or action. Instead of making the entire image a link, you can divide it into regions (like rectangles, circles, or polygons), and each region can act as a separate hyperlink.

This is useful when you want to create interactive images — for example, a world map where clicking on a country takes you to a page about that country, or a diagram of a product with different parts linking to their specifications.
How It Works
An image map uses two main HTML elements:

-
<img src="/static/imghw/default1.png" data-src="world-map.png" class="lazy" alt="What is an HTML image map?" >
with theusemap
attribute -
<map></map>
element that defines the clickable areas using<area>
tags
The usemap
attribute in the <img src="/static/imghw/default1.png" data-src="world-map.png" class="lazy" alt="What is an HTML image map?" >
tag references the <map></map>
by its name
(or id
), linking the image to the map definition.
Example
<img src="/static/imghw/default1.png" data-src="world-map.png" class="lazy" alt="World Map" usemap="#worldmap"> <map name="worldmap"> <area shape="rect" coords="0,0,100,100" href="north-america.html" alt="North America"> <area shape="circle" coords="150,150,50" href="europe.html" alt="What is an HTML image map?"> <area shape="poly" coords="250,250,300,200,350,250,300,300" href="africa.html" alt="Africa"> </map>
Key Points
-
shape: Defines the shape of the clickable area:
-
rect
– rectangle (coords: x1,y1,x2,y2) -
circle
– circle (coords: center-x,center-y,radius) -
poly
– polygon (list of x,y coordinate pairs)
-
- coords: Specifies the position and size of the shape in pixels relative to the image.
- href: The link destination for that area.
- alt: Provides accessibility information, just like with regular images.
When to Use Image Maps
- Interactive diagrams or floor plans
- Navigation images with multiple sections
- Educational tools (e.g., anatomy charts)
Limitations
- Not very responsive by default — coordinates are fixed to image size, so scaling breaks the map unless adjusted
- Less accessible if not properly labeled with
alt
text - Often replaced by SVG or JavaScript solutions for complex interactivity
Basically, image maps are a simple, old-school way to make parts of an image interactive — they still work, but need careful handling for modern, responsive websites.

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