Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces, including natural, artificial, and cultural features such as roads, land boundaries, and buildings
. It is a field of geoscience and planetary science that is concerned with local detail in general, including not only relief, but also the identification of specific landforms
. Topography involves the recording of relief or terrain, the three- dimensional quality of the surface, and the identification of specific landforms
. Topographic maps are useful because they show elevation and can be used to tell the slope of a landform
. Elevation is shown through 3D relief mapping, showing the difference in height from the surrounding terrain, and is indicated by contour lines joining points of similar height above or below sea level
. Topography is important in various fields, including engineering, geology, and climate science
