What is a political map used for?

A political map is used for the purpose of showing a state or nation's political or cultural features. These features include state and national borders and may also include roads and large cities, depending on the detail of the map.

A political map does not show any physical or topographic features, such as mountain ranges or elevation changes. However, they usually include large bodies of surrounding water, including large lakes and rivers. Political maps often include state or national capitals as well. These maps typically use bright and contrasting colors so that the user can more easily identify country or state borders.