<p><strong>Topography</strong>, in the eyes of Earth Scientists, is the study of the surface features of the Earth (or other planet), and includes all features of that surface, natural or artificial.</p>

<p>From the Oxford Dictionary:</p>

<p><em>1.The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area</em></p>

<p>Topography comes from the Greek <em>topos</em>, meaning 'place'. It is a study of all the features of any specific area, not necessarily just elevation, as depicted in topographical maps.</p>

<p><strong>Orography</strong> is a specific study of the features and 'topography' of mountains:</p>

<p><em>The branch of physical geography dealing with the formation and features of mountains</em></p>

<p>Comes from the Greek <em>óros</em> meaning 'hill'. Orography can also be known as orology, oreography or oreology... It is concerned with the formation and development of mountains, hills and ranges, for example the formation of a mountain range or ranges is know as an 'Orogeny'. Earth Scientists can refer to groups of mountains or ranges as 'Orogens'.</p>

<p>Orography falls more broadly under the study of <strong>Geomorphology</strong>, which is not necessarily just constrained to surface features, as in the case of topography.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-01T15:54:43.333Z
Could you provide some example of what is topography but not orography, or what is orography but not topography, or what is both topography and orography?
HelloGoodbye
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-10T12:26:57.787Z
2016-06-10T12:26:57.787Z
Dùn Caan
<p>Both seem to be a study of a planet's surface. Topography seems to have more to do with the graphical depiction of surface features, but there seems to be a lot of overlap...</p>

<topography>
What's the difference between topography and orography?
naught101
# What's the difference between topography and orography?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-10)

Both seem to be a study of a planet's surface. Topography seems to have more to do with the graphical depiction of surface features, but there seems to be a lot of overlap...

**Tags:** topography


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-06-10. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

**Topography**, in the eyes of Earth Scientists, is the study of the surface features of the Earth (or other planet), and includes all features of that surface, natural or artificial.

From the Oxford Dictionary:

*1.The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area*

Topography comes from the Greek *topos*, meaning 'place'. It is a study of all the features of any specific area, not necessarily just elevation, as depicted in topographical maps.

**Orography** is a specific study of the features and 'topography' of mountains:

*The branch of physical geography dealing with the formation and features of mountains*

Comes from the Greek *óros* meaning 'hill'. Orography can also be known as orology, oreography or oreology... It is concerned with the formation and development of mountains, hills and ranges, for example the formation of a mountain range or ranges is know as an 'Orogeny'. Earth Scientists can refer to groups of mountains or ranges as 'Orogens'.

Orography falls more broadly under the study of **Geomorphology**, which is not necessarily just constrained to surface features, as in the case of topography.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Could you provide some example of what is topography but not orography, or what is orography but not topography, or what is both topography and orography?  

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