Topographic Map and their

Interpretation
 What is Map???

The presentation of three dimensional geographic

objects/features in two dimensional plane can be
described a map
 Map preparation

The real object or a feature can be

projected to a two dimensional plane by
using two type of projections:

• Perspective Projection
•Orthographic Projection
 Perspective Projection
Object to be 123

projected

Plane of projection
1 2 3
Plane of Projection

Orthographic
Projection

Object to be
projected
 Forms of contours
1. Evenly distributed contour
denotes planar slope

200 m
400

600

600 m
200 m 400
400 2. Concave Contour 200
600 Valley and Gully
3. Convex Contour
Valley and Gully
 Forms of contours
Saddle 300 m

300
400
400
500
500
500
500
400
400

300 300

200

200
eGHofË
 Closed contours

700
400 m
600 m

600
1. Peak
1. Depression
 Contour Spacing

2. Gentle Slope

1. Steep Slope

3. Very Gentle Slope

 Contour Spacing

100
1. Cliff 100 200
200 300
300 400
400

2. Overhang
 Real map
Valley and Spur
 Drainage Pattern

1. Dendritic drainage

2. Parallel drainage
 Drainage Pattern

3. Trellis drainage

4. Rectangular drainage
 Drainage Pattern

5. Centripetal drainage

6. Radial drainage
 Stream Order
1
1

1 1
1
2 2
1
2 1

3
2

3
4