page_title: Geology of Venus
section_title: Topography
hierarchical_section_title: Geology of Venus / Topography
caption_attribution_description: English: Position of Venera landing sites superimposed on combined Magellan/Pioneer/Venera topography data in Winkel Tripel projection using Grass GIS and GMT 4.5.6
context_page_description: Venus is a planet with striking geology. Of all the other planets in the Solar System, it is the one nearest to Earth and most like it in terms of mass, but has no magnetic field or recognizable plate tectonic system. Much of the ground surface is exposed volcanic bedrock, some with thin and patchy layers of soil covering, in marked contrast with Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Some impact craters are present, but Venus is similar to Earth in that there are fewer craters than on the other rocky planets that are largely covered by them.
  This is due in part to the thickness of the Venusian atmosphere disrupting small impactors before they strike the ground, but the paucity of large craters may be due to volcanic re-surfacing, possibly of a catastrophic nature. Volcanism appears to be the dominant agent of geological change on Venus. Some of the volcanic landforms appear to be unique to the planet. There are shield and composite volcanoes similar to those found on Earth. Given that Venus has approximately the same size, density, and composition as Earth, it is plausible that volcanism may be continuing on the planet today, as demonstrated by recent studies
context_section_description: The surface of Venus is comparatively flat. When 93% of the topography was mapped by Pioneer Venus Orbiter, scientists found that the total distance from the lowest point to the highest point on the entire surface was about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi), about the same as the vertical distance between the Earth's ocean floor and the higher summits of the Himalayas. This similarity is to be expected as the maximum attainable elevation contrasts on a planet are largely dictated by the strength of the planet's gravity and the mechanical strength of its lithosphere, these are similar for Earth and Venus.
  According to data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter altimeters, nearly 51% of the surface is located within 500 meters (1640 feet) of the median radius of 6,052 km (3,761 mi); only 2% of the surface is located at elevations greater than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from the median radius.
  The altimetry experiment of Magellan confirmed the general character of the landscape. According to the Magellan data, 80% of the topography is within 1 km (0.62 mi) of the median radius.  The most important elevations are in the mountain chains that surround Lakshmi Planum: Maxwell Montes (11 km, 6.8 mi), Akna Montes (7 km, 4.3 mi) and Freya Montes (7 km, 4.3 mi). Despite the relatively flat landscape of Venus, the altimetry data also found large inclined plains. Such is the case on the southwest side of Maxwell Montes, which in some parts seems to be inclined some 45°. Inclinations of 30° were registered in Danu Montes and Themis Regio.
  About 75% of the surface is composed of bare rock.
  Based on altimeter data from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter probe, supported by Magellan data, the topography of the planet is divided into three provinces: lowlands, deposition plains, and highlands.
caption: Venus topography
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