What are topographic maps?
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it's maps that represents topography (details of the landscape) of a place: horizontal(plane) projection of objects located on it and contour (curves of elevation). details represented can differ,accordingly to the purpose of the map: engineering, cadastre, navigation, tourism, agronomy, landmanagement,defense....
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The Perry-Castañeda Library library at the University of Texas at Austin has one of the best downloadable map collections on the net. There are country maps, city maps, historical maps, thematic maps showing industry, land use, minerals, population, and there are links to other map sources. \n\nhttp://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/spain.html\n\nGoogle Earth has its place in geography, but is hardly the best source of geographic information. It is excellent for examining topography.
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See in\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topography
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Actually, there are considerably more than that. However the main ones are:\n\nClimate maps\n\ngive general information about the climate and precipitation (rain and snow) of a region. Cartographers, or mapmakers, use colors to show different climate or precipitation zones. \n\nEconomic or resource maps\n\nfeature the type of natural resources or economic activity that dominates an area. Cartographers use symbols to show the locations of natural resources or economic activities. For example, oranges on a map of Florida tell you that oranges are grown there. \n\nPhysical maps\n\nillustrate the physical features of an area, such as the mountains, rivers and lakes. The water is usually shown in blue. Colors are used to show relief—differences in land elevations. Green is typically used at lower elevations, and orange or brown indicate higher elevations.\n\nPolitical maps\n\ndo not show physical features. Instead, they indicate state and national boundaries and capital and major cities. A capital city is usually marked with a star within a circle.\n\nRoad maps\n\nshow major—some minor highways—and roads, airports, railroad tracks, cities and other points of interest in an area. People use road maps to plan trips and for driving directions.\n\nTopographic maps\n\ninclude contour lines to show the shape and elevation of an area. Lines that are close together indicate steep terrain, and lines that are far apart indicate flat terrain.
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Topographic maps, also called contour maps, topo maps or topo quads (for quadrangles), are maps that show topography, or land contours, by means of contour lines. Contour lines are curves that connect contiguous points of the same altitude (isohypse). In other words, every point on the marked line of 100 m elevation is 100 m above mean sea level.\n\nhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/79/Topographic_map_example.png/300px-Topographic_map_example.png\n\nhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Topographic-Relief-perspective-sample.jpg/300px-Topographic-Relief-perspective-sample.jpg\n\n \nPart of the same map in a perspective shaded relief view illustrates how the contour lines of the original follow the terrainThere are several rules to note when viewing topographic maps:\n\nThe rule of Vs: sharp-pointed vees usually are in stream valleys, with the drainage channel passing through the point of the vee, with the vee pointing upstream. This is a consequence of erosion. \nThe rule of Os: closed loops are normally uphill on the inside and downhill on the outside, and the innermost loop is the highest area. If a loop instead represents a depression, some maps note this by short lines radiating from the inside of the loop, called "hachures". \nSpacing of contours: close contours indicate a steep slope; distant contours a shallow slope. Two or more contour lines merging indicates a cliff. \nOf course, to determine differences in elevation between two points, the contour interval, or distance in altitude between two adjacent contour lines, must be known, and this is given at the bottom of the map. In most cases, contour intervals are consistent throughout a map. Sometimes dashed contour lines are present; these represent half the noted contour interval.\n\nThese maps usually show not only the contours, but also any significant streams or other bodies of water, forest cover, built-up areas or individual buildings (depending on scale), and other features and points of interest.
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The first map you want is:\nBayer, K.C., 1983, Generalized structural, lithologic, and physiographic provinces in the fold and thrust belts of the United States: U.S. Geological Survey special map, 2 sheets, scale 1:2,500,000.\nTry www.usgs.gov website first. They may have some still in stock.\n\nFor state maps try:\nllinois Geological Survey, 615 East Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820-6964. (217) 333-4747. For digital map data, contact the Computer Research and Services Section to confirm available format. (217) 244-2512.\n\nGeologic map of Illinois, 1967. Scale 1:500,000. Order from State survey.\n\nQuaternary deposits of Illinois, 1979. Scale 1:500,000. Order from State survey.\n\nGeologic map of Illinois showing bedrock below the glacial drift, 1961. Scale 1:1,000,000. Order from State survey.\n\nRegional geologic maps, 1962-1972. Scale 1:250,000. Published by the Indiana Geological Survey in cooperation with neighboring States. Order by 10 X 20 quadrangle name from State survey.
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Contour lines on a map are set at even intervals.  The high points on a hill or mountain are rarely an exact number of feet.  The top would be represented by a point with the elevation next to it.
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Mountains, plateau, deserts
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Go to a site that has world maps, then look them up.
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use the legend to help u get information from the map\nthe colours will help u too ex, blue for lakes rivers oceans etc
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See the classic landforms and its characteristics in\nhttp://www.geomorph.org/gt/regional/nam.html
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Plains, mountains, valleys, beach, escarpment, plateaus, prairie, continent, island, peninsula, delta, canyon, alluvial plain, etc.\n\nThese sites should help with more details..
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For a modern physical map:\nhttp://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_physical_2006.pdf\n\nModern political map:\nhttp://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_maps/world_political_ref01.pdf\n\nHistorical maps:\nThe David Rumsey collection has scanned their maps at scales so huge they cannot be downloaded all at once. You need to view online, or grab screenshots. Use their search tool with the keyword "world" to find some of these.\nhttp://www.davidrumsey.com/view.html
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Topographic, geological, road and oceanic chart are just some, if you can think of a good reason to make a map I'll bet someone has (Think of the London underground rail map,)The use of most is inherent in the title ie geological maps show the rocks under your feet (when you can read them,)When you open a map always read the blurb inside it will tell you most of what you need to know.\n Blackdownman.
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Historical Maps of the London Borough of Southwark\n\nMaps of Walworth, Bermondsey, Borough and Bankside, Camberwell and Denmark Hill, Dulwich, Peckham Rotherhithe and Walworth
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Topography has two related meanings:\n\n- a detailed representation on a map of the features of a place \n- a detailed textual description of an area \n\nThe word 'topography' comes from the Greek τόπος (topos, place) and -γραφία (-graphia, writing). It originally meant writing about a place, in the same way that 'biography' means writing about a life, and this would describe the physical location as well as the history of the place and consequently local people. \n\nNowadays that is usually called 'local history'. In Britain, the word topography is still sometimes used in its original sense,[1] as well as in the more restricted senses of the surface features of a location, or just the physical relief.
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Go here for the U.S.  Topo maps are also available.\n\nTerraserver does not require you to download software.  The maximum resolution of satellite images is 1 meter per pixel.\n\nGoogle Earth requires that you download software and older computers may not be able to run it.  System requirements are listed.