Symbol categories: Landforms | Rock and boulders | Water and march | Vegetation | Man-made features | Technical symbols | Course planning symbols
The shape of the terrain is shown by means of contours, aided by special symbols for small knolls, depressions, etc. This is complemented in black by symbols for rock and cliffs.
While it is important to show the smaller features of the terrain, such as re-entrants, spurs, knolls and depressions, it is essential that an abundance of small features do not hide the main features of the terrain, such as hills, valleys and major fault lines.
Excessive use of form lines must be avoided as this complicates the map and gives a wrong impression of height differences.
To train and learn this category of symbols: Game: Map symbols – Landforms
(click the images to enlarge them)
| Code | Symbol | Name | Description | Control Descrip. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 |  | CONTOUR | A line joining points of equal height. The standard vertical interval between contours is 5 m. A contour interval of 2.5 m may be used for flat terrains. | 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.9 1.11 1.12 |
| 102 |  | INDEX CONTOUR | Every fifth contour shall be drawn with a thicker line. This is an aid to the quick assessment of height difference and the overall shape of the terrain surface. | 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.9 1.11 1.12 |
| 103 |  | FORM LINE | Used where more information must be given about the shape of the ground. Form lines are added only where representation would be incomplete with ordinary contours. | 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.9 1.11 1.12 |
| 104 |  | EARTH BANK | Abrupt change in ground level which can be clearly distinguished from its surroundings, e.g. gravel or sand pits, road and railway cuttings or embankments. | 1.4 1.5 |
| 105 |  | EARTH WALL | Distinct earth wall. | 1.6 |
| 106 |  | RUINED EARTH WALL | A ruined or less distinct earth wall. | 1.6 |
| 107 |  | EROSION GULLY | An erosion gully which is too small to be shown using symbol Earth bank (104) is shown by a single line. | 1.7 |
| 108 |  | SMALL EROSION GULLY | A small erosion gully, dry ditch or trench. | 1.8 |
| 109 |  | SMALL KNOLL | An obvious mound or knoll which cannot be drawn to scale with a contour. | 1.10 |
| 110 |  | SMALL ELONGATED KNOLL | An obvious elongated knoll which cannot be drawn to scale with a contour. | 1.10 |
| 111 |  | SMALL DEPRESSION | A small depression or hollow without steep sides that is too small to be shown by contours. | 1.13 |
| 112 |  | PIT | A pit or hole with distinct steep sides which cannot be shown to scale using symbol Earth bank (104). | 1.14 |
| 113 |  | BROKEN GROUND | An area of pits and / or knolls which is too intricate to be shown in detail, or other types of rough and uneven ground that is clearly distinguishable but has little impact on runnability. | 1.15 |
| 114 |  | VERY BROKEN GROUND | An area of pits and/or knolls, which is too intricate to be shown in detail, or other types of rough and uneven ground that is clearly distinguishable and affects runnability. | 1.15 |
| 115 |  | PROMINENT LANDFORM FEATURE | The feature must be very clearly distinguishable from its surroundings. | 1.16 |