Topographic maps depict the physical landscape and man-made features of a region, with elevation information shown to illustrate the terrain’s shape and surface details. They are designed to convey three-dimensional relief on a two-dimensional sheet. What a topographic map shows:

• Elevation and relief: contour lines or color shading represent points of equal altitude, revealing hills, valleys, ridges, and depressions. Contour lines that are close together indicate steep slopes, while widely spaced lines indicate gentler slopes.
• Surface features: natural features such as mountains, valleys, plateaus, rivers, lakes, swamps, and coastal features.
• Man-made features: roads, railways, buildings, airports, boundaries, parks, and other infrastructure.
• Vegetation and land cover: forested areas, open plains, and sometimes vegetation types, depending on scale and legend.
• Spatial relationships: the map provides orientation through a north arrow, scale bar, and legend, helping to gauge distances and directions.

In short, a topographic map is a detailed, scaled representation that communicates both the 3D shape of the terrain and the location of natural and human-made features on the Earth's surface.