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What distinguishes topographic maps from other types of maps?
What is a topographic map?
What are the characteristics of a topographic map?
What is the difference between a USGS map and a topo map?
The feature that most distinguishes topographic maps from maps of other types is the use of contour lines to portray the shape and elevation of the land. Topographic maps render the three-dimensional ups and downs of the terrain on a two-dimensional surface.
- What is a topographic map? | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov
Contours make it possible to show the height and shape of...
- How do US Topo maps differ from historical USGS topographic ...
Though designed to look like traditional 7.5-minute...
- What is a topographic map? | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov
- Political Maps
- Physical Maps
- Topographic Maps
- Climate Maps
- Economic Or Resource Maps
- Road Maps
- Thematic Maps
A political map does not show topographic features like mountains. It focuses solely on the state and national boundaries of a place. These maps also include the locations of cities large and small, depending on the detail of the maps. A typical example of a political mapwould be one showing the 50 U.S. states and their borders along with the Unite...
A physical map is one that documents landscape features of a place. These maps generally show things like mountains, rivers, and lakes. Bodies of water are commonly shown in blue. Mountains and elevation changes are sometimes shown with different colors and shades to show elevation. On physical maps, greens usually indicate lower elevations while b...
A topographic map is similar to a physical map in that it shows different physical landscape features. Unlike physical maps, though, this type of map uses contour lines instead of colors to show changes in the landscape. Contour lines on topographic mapsare normally spaced at regular intervals to show elevation changes (e.g. each line represents a ...
A climate mapshows information about the climate of an area. These maps can show things like the specific climatic zones of an area based on the temperature, the amount of snow an area receives, or the average number of cloudy days. These maps normally use colors to show different climatic areas. This climate map for Australiauses colors to show di...
An economic or resource map shows the specific types of economic activity or natural resources present in an area through the use of different symbols or colors depending on what is being depicted. This economic activity map for Brazil, for example, uses colors to show different agricultural products of given areas, letters for natural resources, a...
A road mapis one of the most widely used map types. These maps show major and minor highways and roads (depending on the degree of detail), as well as things like airports, cities, and points of interest such as parks, campgrounds, and monuments. Major highways on a roadmap are generally shown with thick, red lines, while minor roads are lighter in...
A thematic map is a map that focuses on a particular theme or special topic. These maps are different from the six aforementioned general reference maps because they do not just show features like rivers, cities, political subdivisions, elevation, and highways. If these items appear on a thematic map, they are background information and are used as...
- Amanda Briney
Other authors define topographic maps by contrasting them with another type of map; they are distinguished from smaller-scale "chorographic maps" that cover large regions, "planimetric maps" that do not show elevations, and "thematic maps" that focus on specific topics.
Aug 18, 2022 · Topographic maps are useful to both technical people (geologists; environmental engineers) and to everyday people, like hikers. A geologist often uses a topographic map as a base on which to plot geology in making a geologic map.
Topographic maps are a type of map that provides detailed information about the shape and elevation of the land. Unlike regular maps that focus on roads and cities, topographic maps use contour lines to show changes in elevation.
