Talk:Elevation

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[edit] Elevation vs. altitude

"Elevation is mainly used when referring to points on the Earth's surface, while altitude is used for points in the air, such as an aircraft."

In my experience, this statement is only true in US English. I've done a lot of hiking/backpacking with both British and American groups. Usually Americans seem to use "elevation", while Brits use "altitude" or "height". I've never heard "elevation" in this context in the UK

In engineering and surveying, the term elevation is most commonly used for surface features, waterways, structures, and mines. The term altitude is commonly used for elevations in the atmosphere or space. The term height is usually used to denote elevation above a reference level, such as the height of a building above the ground. --Buaidh 13:43, 26 September 2007 (UTC)