In modern mapping, a topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually now using contour lines, but historically using a variety of methods.Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features.owever, in the vernacular and day to day world, the representation of relief (contours) is popularly held to define the genre, such that even small-scale maps showing relief are commonly (and erroneously, in the technical sense) called topographic.