# HTML <area> Tag

## Example

An image-map, with clickable areas:

<img src="planets.gif" width="145" height="126" alt="Planets"
usemap="#planetmap">
<map name="planetmap">
<area shape="rect" coords="0,0,82,126" href="sun.htm" alt="Sun">
<area shape="circle" coords="90,58,3" href="mercur.htm" alt="Mercury">
<area shape="circle" coords="124,58,8" href="venus.htm" alt="Venus">
</map>
Try it Yourself »

## Definition and Usage

The <area> tag defines an area inside an image-map (an image-map is an image with clickable areas).

The <area> element is always nested inside a <map> tag.

Note: The usemap attribute in the <img> tag is associated with the <map> element's name attribute, and creates a relationship between the image and the map.

## Browser Support

Element |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
<area> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes

## Differences Between HTML 4.01 and HTML5

HTML5 has some new attributes, and some HTML 4.01 attributes are no longer supported.

## Differences Between HTML and XHTML

In HTML the <area> tag has no end tag.

In XHTML the <area> tag must be properly closed.

## Attributes

= New in HTML5.

Attribute | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
alt | text | Specifies an alternate text for the area. Required if the href attribute is present
coords | coordinates | Specifies the coordinates of the area
download | filename | Specifies that the target will be downloaded when a user clicks on the hyperlink
href | URL | Specifies the hyperlink target for the area
hreflang | language_code | Specifies the language of the target URL
media | media query | Specifies what media/device the target URL is optimized for
nohref | value | Not supported in HTML5. Specifies that an area has no associated link

rel

alternate
author
bookmark
help
license
next
nofollow
noreferrer
prefetch
prev
search
tag

Specifies the relationship between the current document and the target URL

shape | default rect circle poly | Specifies the shape of the area
target | _blank _parent _self _top framename | Specifies where to open the target URL
type | media_type | Specifies the media type of the target URL

## Global Attributes

The <area> tag also supports the Global Attributes in HTML.

## Event Attributes

The <area> tag also supports the Event Attributes in HTML.

## Related Pages

HTML DOM reference: Area Object

## Default CSS Settings

Most browsers will display the <area> element with the following default values:

area {
display: none;
}

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