# Creating Basic Maps

A basic map without markers requires only an `<apex:map>` component. This component defines the map’s basic canvas, including its dimensions, location, and initial zoom level.

The `center` attribute defines the point around which the map is centered. You can provide `center` values in several formats.

- A string that represents an address. For example, "1 Market Street, San Francisco, CA". The address is geocoded to determine its latitude and longitude.
- A string that represents a JSON object with `latitude` and `longitude` attributes that specify location coordinates. For example, "{latitude: 37.794, longitude: -122.395}".
- An Apex map object of type `Map<String, Double>`, with `latitude` and `longitude` keys to specify location coordinates.

If `<apex:map>` doesn’t have child `<apex:mapMarker>` tags, the `center` attribute is required.

This simple street map displays the neighborhood around Salesforce’s San Francisco headquarters.

```markup
<apex:page >

    <h1>Salesforce in San Francisco</h1>
  
    <!-- Display the address on a map -->
    <apex:map width="600px" height="400px" mapType="roadmap" zoomLevel="16"
        center="One Market Street, San Francisco, CA">
    </apex:map>
    
</apex:page>
```

This code produces the following map.

![A basic Visualforce map](https://a.sfdcstatic.com/developer-website/sfdocs/platform/media/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/pages_maps_basic_map.png)

Notice the following in this example.

- The mapped address has no marker. The `<apex:map>` component doesn’t, by itself, display map markers, even for the center point. To display up to 100 markers, add child `<apex:mapMarker>` components.
- The map’s `center` location value is provided as a street address, not a geolocation. The mapping service looks up the latitude and longitude for the address. This process is called geocoding. You can include up to 10 geocoded addresses to a map, either as `center` attributes or as markers added with `<apex:mapMarker>` components.
- The `mapType` value is “roadmap”, a standard street map. Other options are “satellite” and “hybrid”.