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The 1:50 000 topographical maps are the largest maps providing full coverage of South Africa. The series consists of a total of 1 913 sheets. They accurately depict the location of natural and man-made features by means of symbols and colour, and elevation by means of spot-heights and contours (20m interval). Additional information added are place names, boundaries, magnetic data, etc. These maps contain essential information for planning and decision making but also have many other uses.
The 1:50 000 topographical maps are generally compiled from aerial photographs. A standard 1:50 000 map sheet covers a rectangle of 15 minutes of latitude by 15 minutes of longitude or approximately 640 squarekilometres.
Projection : Gauss Conform, with the central meridian the nearest odd meridian.
Sheet area covered : 15′ x 15′
Ellipsoid : WGS84, sheets prior to 1999 Clarke 1880 (modified)