What Does a Contour Line Show?

A contour line is a line drawn on a topographic map to indicate ground elevation or depression. A contour interval is the vertical distance or difference in elevation between contour lines.

What Does a Contour Line Show?

A contour line is a line on a map that connects points of equal elevation. In other words, it shows how high or low the ground is in a certain area.

The lines are usually close together, which means that the ground doesn’t change much in elevation over a short distance. When the lines are far apart, it means that the ground changes quickly in elevation.

Contour lines are a great way to visualize the shape of the land. They can also be used to find your way around in the wilderness.

If you know how to read them, you can use contour lines to estimate the steepness of a slope, find streams and lakes, and even locate yourself on a map.

The word “contour” comes from the French word contour, which means “outline.” The first contour lines were drawn in the 1760s by a French engineer named Claude–Louis Berthollet.