Maanpinta

Maanpinta is the Finnish term for the surface of the Earth. In geography and geology it denotes the outermost, visible layer of the terrestrial world—the topographic surface that forms the ground we walk on. It includes natural features such as mountains, hills, valleys, plains, plateaus, as well as man-made features like cities, roads, and fields. Water bodies are not usually described as part of maanpinta, although coastlines mark the transition between land surface and the ocean.

Topographic data define maanpinta. Modern measurements rely on digital elevation models (DEMs) produced from satellite and airborne sensors, including LIDAR and radar altimetry. Elevations are typically reported relative to a vertical datum such as mean sea level (merenpinta or geoid-based approximations) or to an ellipsoid used by GPS. The maanpinta is not static; it changes over time due to tectonic movement, erosion, sedimentation, ice and water load changes, and human activity.

Applications include cartography, land-use planning, civil engineering, flood and landslide risk assessment, and environmental modeling. The term is common in Finnish academic and technical literature, as well as in public discourse about topography, mapping, and geography.