Which lettering style is used on maps to represent relief features?

• A. Gothic
• B. Roman
• C. Sans serif
• D. Italic

Answer: (A)

On maps, the lettering style used to distinguish natural terrain like mountains and hills is Gothic. This heavy, ornate Blackletter look has a long history in cartography as a way to mark relief features, making them visually stand out from other labels such as towns or political boundaries. The bold, condensed shapes of Gothic lettering help convey the rugged character of terrain and fit well into the often crowded map space where relief labels must remain legible yet distinct.

Roman type is a standard serif used for general labeling, but it doesn’t specifically signal natural terrain. Sans serif offers clean, modern readability but lacks the traditional, dramatic cue that Gothic provides for relief features. Italic is typically used for emphasis or to indicate certain kinds of names, but it doesn’t create the same immediate distinction for relief as Gothic lettering.