The idea of lines that join points of equal value was rediscovered several times. The oldest known isobath (contour line of constant depth) is found on a map dated 1584 of the river Spaarne, near Haarlem, by Dutchman Pieter … See more

Contour lines are often given specific names beginning "iso-" (Ancient Greek: ἴσος, romanized: isos, lit. 'equal') according to the nature of the variable being mapped, although … See more

Most commonly contour lines are drawn in plan view, or as an observer in space would view the Earth's surface: ordinary map form. However, some parameters can often be displayed … See more

Labels are a critical component of elevation maps. A properly labeled contour map helps the reader to quickly interpret the shape of the terrain. If numbers are placed close to each other, it means that the terrain is steep. Labels should be placed along a slightly … See more

• finding boundaries of level sets after image segmentation
• Active contour model See more

To maximize readability of contour maps, there are several design choices available to the map creator, principally line weight, line color, line type and method of numerical marking.
Line weight is simply the darkness or thickness of the line … See more

• Aeronautical chart
• Dymaxion map
• Fall line (topography)
• Geologic map See more