What is Planimetric? Understanding Flat Maps and Their Limitations

Planimetric is a term used in geography and cartography to describe a map or image that represents the Earth's surface as a two-dimensional plane, without any consideration for the height or relief of the terrain. In other words, it is a flat map that does not show any topographic features such as hills, mountains, or valleys.

Planimetric maps are useful for showing large-scale features such as land use patterns, transportation networks, and political boundaries, but they do not provide a true representation of the three-dimensional nature of the Earth's surface. In contrast, topographic maps, which do show relief and height information, provide a more accurate representation of the terrain, but may be less useful for showing large-scale features.