diff --git a/frontend/__tests__/unit/components/ChapterMap.test.tsx b/frontend/__tests__/unit/components/ChapterMap.test.tsx
index d16027d496..96655a4e13 100644
--- a/frontend/__tests__/unit/components/ChapterMap.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/__tests__/unit/components/ChapterMap.test.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { render } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { render, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { Chapter } from 'types/chapter'
 import ChapterMap from 'components/ChapterMap'
 
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ const mockMap = {
   setView: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
   addLayer: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
   fitBounds: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+  on: jest.fn().mockReturnThis(),
+  scrollWheelZoom: {
+    enable: jest.fn(),
+    disable: jest.fn(),
+  },
 }
 
 const mockMarker = {
@@ -95,12 +100,16 @@ describe('ChapterMap', () => {
 
   describe('rendering', () => {
     it('renders the map container with correct id and style', () => {
-      render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+      const { container } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
 
       const mapContainer = document.getElementById('chapter-map')
       expect(mapContainer).toBeInTheDocument()
       expect(mapContainer).toHaveAttribute('id', 'chapter-map')
-      expect(mapContainer).toHaveStyle('width: 100%; height: 400px;')
+      expect(mapContainer).toHaveClass('h-full', 'w-full')
+
+      // Check that the parent container has the correct styles applied
+      const parentContainer = container.firstChild as HTMLElement
+      expect(parentContainer).toHaveClass('relative')
     })
 
     it('renders with empty data without crashing', () => {
@@ -123,6 +132,7 @@ describe('ChapterMap', () => {
           [90, 180],
         ],
         maxBoundsViscosity: 1.0,
+        scrollWheelZoom: false,
       })
       expect(mockMap.setView).toHaveBeenCalledWith([20, 0], 2)
     })
@@ -150,6 +160,12 @@ describe('ChapterMap', () => {
       expect(L.markerClusterGroup).toHaveBeenCalled()
       expect(mockMap.addLayer).toHaveBeenCalledWith(mockMarkerClusterGroup)
     })
+
+    it('sets up event listeners for map interaction', () => {
+      render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+      expect(mockMap.on).toHaveBeenCalledWith('click', expect.any(Function))
+      expect(mockMap.on).toHaveBeenCalledWith('mouseout', expect.any(Function))
+    })
   })
 
   describe('Markers', () => {
@@ -221,6 +237,58 @@ describe('ChapterMap', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  describe('Interactive Overlay', () => {
+    it('displays overlay with "Click to interact with map" message initially', () => {
+      const { getByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+      expect(getByText('Click to interact with map')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('removes overlay when clicked', () => {
+      const { getByText, queryByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+
+      const overlay = getByText('Click to interact with map').closest('div[role="button"]')
+      fireEvent.click(overlay!)
+
+      expect(queryByText('Click to interact with map')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+    })
+
+    it('enables scroll wheel zoom when overlay is clicked', () => {
+      const { getByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+
+      const overlay = getByText('Click to interact with map').closest('div[role="button"]')
+      fireEvent.click(overlay!)
+
+      expect(mockMap.scrollWheelZoom.enable).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('handles keyboard interaction with Enter key', () => {
+      const { getByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+
+      const overlay = getByText('Click to interact with map').closest('div[role="button"]')
+      fireEvent.keyDown(overlay!, { key: 'Enter' })
+
+      expect(mockMap.scrollWheelZoom.enable).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('handles keyboard interaction with Space key', () => {
+      const { getByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+
+      const overlay = getByText('Click to interact with map').closest('div[role="button"]')
+      fireEvent.keyDown(overlay!, { key: ' ' })
+
+      expect(mockMap.scrollWheelZoom.enable).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('has proper accessibility attributes', () => {
+      const { getByText } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} />)
+
+      const overlay = getByText('Click to interact with map').closest('div[role="button"]')
+      expect(overlay).toHaveAttribute('role', 'button')
+      expect(overlay).toHaveAttribute('tabIndex', '0')
+      expect(overlay).toHaveAttribute('aria-label', 'Click to interact with map')
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('Local View', () => {
     it('sets local view when showLocal is true', () => {
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
@@ -281,10 +349,15 @@ describe('ChapterMap', () => {
     it('applies custom styles correctly', () => {
       const customStyle = { width: '800px', height: '600px', border: '1px solid red' }
 
-      render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} style={customStyle} />)
+      const { container } = render(<ChapterMap {...defaultProps} style={customStyle} />)
+
+      // Custom styles should be applied to the parent container
+      const parentContainer = container.firstChild as HTMLElement
+      expect(parentContainer).toHaveStyle('width: 800px; height: 600px; border: 1px solid red;')
 
+      // Map container should have Tailwind classes
       const mapContainer = document.getElementById('chapter-map')
-      expect(mapContainer).toHaveStyle('width: 800px; height: 600px; border: 1px solid red;')
+      expect(mapContainer).toHaveClass('h-full', 'w-full')
     })
   })
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChapterMap.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ChapterMap.tsx
index 36c360aca5..42349c56ec 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChapterMap.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChapterMap.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use client'
 import L, { MarkerClusterGroup } from 'leaflet'
-import React, { useEffect, useRef } from 'react'
+import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 import type { Chapter } from 'types/chapter'
 import 'leaflet.markercluster'
 import 'leaflet/dist/leaflet.css'
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ const ChapterMap = ({
 }) => {
   const mapRef = useRef<L.Map | null>(null)
   const markerClusterRef = useRef<MarkerClusterGroup | null>(null)
+  const [isMapActive, setIsMapActive] = useState(false)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!mapRef.current) {
@@ -29,12 +30,25 @@ const ChapterMap = ({
           [90, 180],
         ],
         maxBoundsViscosity: 1.0,
+        scrollWheelZoom: false, // Disable scroll wheel zoom by default
       }).setView([20, 0], 2)
 
       L.tileLayer('https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', {
         attribution: '© OpenStreetMap contributors',
         className: 'map-tiles',
       }).addTo(mapRef.current)
+
+      // Enable scroll wheel zoom when user clicks on the map
+      mapRef.current.on('click', () => {
+        mapRef.current?.scrollWheelZoom.enable()
+        setIsMapActive(true)
+      })
+
+      // Disable scroll wheel zoom when mouse leaves the map
+      mapRef.current.on('mouseout', () => {
+        mapRef.current?.scrollWheelZoom.disable()
+        setIsMapActive(false)
+      })
     }
 
     const map = mapRef.current
@@ -102,7 +116,34 @@ const ChapterMap = ({
     }
   }, [geoLocData, showLocal])
 
-  return <div id="chapter-map" style={style} />
+  return (
+    <div className="relative" style={style}>
+      <div id="chapter-map" className="h-full w-full" />
+      {!isMapActive && (
+        <div
+          role="button"
+          tabIndex={0}
+          className="absolute inset-0 z-[1000] flex cursor-pointer items-center justify-center rounded-[inherit] bg-black/10"
+          onClick={() => {
+            mapRef.current?.scrollWheelZoom.enable()
+            setIsMapActive(true)
+          }}
+          onKeyDown={(e) => {
+            if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+              e.preventDefault()
+              mapRef.current?.scrollWheelZoom.enable()
+              setIsMapActive(true)
+            }
+          }}
+          aria-label="Click to interact with map"
+        >
+          <div className="rounded-lg bg-white/90 px-5 py-3 text-sm font-medium text-gray-700 shadow-lg">
+            Click to interact with map
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  )
 }
 
 export default ChapterMap