Global elevation map 99 % complete

BBC:

The most complete terrain map of the Earth's surface has been published.

The data, comprising 1.3 million images, come from a collaboration between the US space agency Nasa and the Japanese trade ministry.

The images were taken by Japan's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (Aster) aboard the Terra satellite.

The resulting Global Digital Elevation Map covers 99% of the Earth's surface, and will be free to download and use.

...

This will also benefit the military which uses terrain maps along with GPS to help the troops know where they are and where they are going. It has not always been easy to get good maps in some locations. When Lydon Johnson sent the Marines into the Dominican Republic back in the 60s one of their first stops was at gas stations so they could get maps of the area.

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