vízrajzot

Vízrajz (vízrajzot) is a hydrographic chart used for navigation, planning, and coastal management. It depicts water bodies, including depths and seabed topography, as well as the shoreline, tides and currents, and areas with hazards. It also shows aids to navigation such as lighthouses, buoys, wrecks, and traffic schemes. These charts are produced by national hydrographic offices and international organizations to support safe and efficient maritime operations.

A typical vízrajzot contains depth soundings and isobaths, coastline outlines, port facilities, navigational warnings, wrecks, and restricted or protected areas. It may include seabed classification, tidal information, current data, and notes on dredging or seabed construction. Charts are drawn to a defined scale and projection, enabling mariners to plan routes, determine anchorage, and assess risk in a given area.

The history of vízrajzot mirrors the development of seafaring. From early pilot charts used by explorers to more systematic hydrographic surveys in the Early Modern period, charting became organized under national services. The 19th and 20th centuries saw standardization of symbols and scales, improvements in accuracy, and the adoption of new surveying technologies.

In contemporary practice, vízrajzot are often produced as Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) and used with Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS). Standards and data formats are stewarded by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), with digital formats such as S-57 and S-100 enabling real-time updates, integration with GPS, AIS, and other marine information systems. Inland and coastal waters are similarly charted for navigation and environmental management.

See also: hydrography, nautical chart, bathymetry, ENC, ECDIS, IHO.