In addition to contour lines, relief shading helps visualise the terrain. Hills and valleys are shaded as if they were illuminated from the north-west.
Relief layers were generated for each sheet, and specifically for use in the Topo50 map series. There may be subtle differences in the relief shading of adjacent map sheets. Where no contour information exists, relief shading has not been produced.
The Topo50 map series provides topographic mapping for the New Zealand mainland, the Chatham Islands, and offshore islands at 1:50,000 scale (some of the islands at 1:25,000).
Snares Islands / Tini Heke data and map, although captured and presented at 1:25,000 scale are, to all intents and purposes, part of the Topo50 series.
Further information on Topo50: http://www.linz.govt.nz/topography/topo-maps/topo50