In the interest of national security, the Chinese government strictly controls geographic data, and deliberately skews maps of the country to protect sensitive buildings and facilities. These restrictions cause offsets…
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Classic 7.5 minute USGS topographic map for Manitou Springs, Colorado, 1961. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey. We recently covered the basics of topographic maps, including how to read contour lines, and…
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While we’ve covered how to read a topo map and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps in particular, OpenStreetMap-based topos are increasingly popular resources that merit their own post. In this…
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In a recent blog post, we showed you how to join OpenStreetMap and help build an open map of the world, alongside millions of other map editors. That post focused on…
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Map your favorite places, and join a global movement that makes data free and open to all people. This guide will teach you to edit OpenStreetMap (OSM). OpenStreetMap: More Than…
Topo maps use concentric “contour lines” to show elevation changes, and help people navigate mountains and wilderness areas. The denser the contour lines appear, the steeper the terrain. Topographic maps…