Topography is the science of graphically representing a sufficiently small part of the earth's surface, so that it can be represented without appreciable error, by a tangent plane in the centre of the area to be represented. It studies the natural or artificial characteristics of the surface of an area, representing it graphically, so that it may be used for a variety of purposes.
This graphic representation is called a plan or map, which is obtained by projecting the most representative points of the terrain onto the horizontal plane considered normal to the vertical of the point.
The word "topography" is derived from two Greek words, "topos" and "graphein", meaning "place" and "write" respectively, and their "joining" represents the description of the place.
Currently in Portugal, topography is present in almost all activities, whether directly or indirectly, and its usual goal is the acquisition, calculation or implementation of data, which serve as a basis for the most diverse areas and activities: architecture, engineering, registration and notary, agriculture, construction, rehabilitation, road networks, industry, mines, dams, spatial digitalisation, augmented reality, among others.
Laser Scanning 3D, Geociências, Topografia, Engenharia, Projeto