Tag <area> HTML Reference



Example

An image-map, with clickable areas:

<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>

Browser Support

Internet Explorer Firefox Opera Google Chrome Safari

1. 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.


2. Differences Between HTML 4.01 and HTML5

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


3. Differences Between HTML and XHTML

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

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


4. Required Attributes

DTD indicates in which HTML 4.01/XHTML 1.0 DTD the attribute is allowed. S=Strict, T=Transitional, and F=Frameset.

AttributeValueDescriptionDTD
alttextSpecifies an alternate text for an areaSTF

5. Optional Attributes

AttributeValueDescriptionDTD
coordscoordinatesSpecifies the coordinates of an areaSTF
hrefURLSpecifies the hyperlink target for the areaSTF
nohrefnohrefSpecifies that an area has no associated linkSTF
shape default
rect
circle
poly
Specifies the shape of an areaSTF
target_blank
_parent
_self
_top
Specifies where to open the linked page specified in the href attributeTF

6. Standard Attributes

The <area> tag supports the Standard Attributes in HTML.


7. Event Attributes

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


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