GDAL-RASTER-CONTOUR(1) GDAL GDAL-RASTER-CONTOUR(1)

gdal-raster-contour - Creates a vector contour from a raster elevation model (DEM)

Added in version 3.11.

Usage: gdal raster contour [OPTIONS] <INPUT> <OUTPUT>
Creates a vector contour from a raster elevation model (DEM).
Positional arguments:
  -i, --input <INPUT>                                  Input raster dataset [required]
  -o, --output <OUTPUT>                                Output vector dataset (created by algorithm) [required]
Common Options:
  -h, --help                                           Display help message and exit
  --json-usage                                         Display usage as JSON document and exit
  --config <KEY>=<VALUE>                               Configuration option [may be repeated]
  --progress                                           Display progress bar
Options:
  -f, --of, --format, --output-format <OUTPUT-FORMAT>  Output format
  --co, --creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                Creation option [may be repeated]
  --lco, --layer-creation-option <KEY>=<VALUE>         Layer creation option [may be repeated]
  -b, --band <BAND>                                    Input band (1-based index) (default: 1)
  -l, --nln, --layer <LAYER>                           Layer name
  --elevation-name <ELEVATION-NAME>                    Name of the elevation field
  --min-name <MIN-NAME>                                Name of the minimum elevation field
  --max-name <MAX-NAME>                                Name of the maximum elevation field
  --3d                                                 Force production of 3D vectors instead of 2D
  --src-nodata <SRC-NODATA>                            Input pixel value to treat as 'nodata'
  --interval <INTERVAL>                                Elevation interval between contours
                                                       Mutually exclusive with --levels, --exp-base
  --levels <LEVELS>                                    List of contour levels [may be repeated]
                                                       Mutually exclusive with --interval, --exp-base
  -e, --exp-base <EXP-BASE>                            Base for exponential contour level generation
                                                       Mutually exclusive with --interval, --levels
  --off, --offset <OFFSET>                             Offset to apply to contour levels
  -p, --polygonize                                     Create polygons instead of lines
  --group-transactions <GROUP-TRANSACTIONS>            Group n features per transaction (default 100 000)
  --overwrite                                          Whether overwriting existing output is allowed
Advanced Options:
  --oo, --open-option <KEY>=<VALUE>                    Open options [may be repeated]
  --if, --input-format <INPUT-FORMAT>                  Input formats [may be repeated]

gdal raster contour creates a vector contour from a raster elevation model (DEM).

The following options are available:

Which output vector format to use. Allowed values may be given by gdal --formats | grep vector | grep rw | sort
Many formats have one or more optional creation options that can be used to control particulars about the file created. For instance, the GeoTIFF driver supports creation options to control compression, and whether the file should be tiled.

May be repeated.

The creation options available vary by format driver, and some simple formats have no creation options at all. A list of options supported for a format can be listed with the --formats command line option but the documentation for the format is the definitive source of information on driver creation options. See Raster drivers format specific documentation for legal creation options for each format.

Layer creation option (format specific)
Allow program to overwrite existing target file or dataset. Otherwise, by default, gdal errors out if the target file or dataset already exists.
Picks a particular band to get the DEM from. Defaults to band 1.
Provides a name for the output vector layer. Defaults to "contour".
Provides a name for the attribute in which to put the elevation. If not provided no elevation attribute is attached. Ignored in polygonal contouring (-p) mode.
Provides a name for the attribute in which to put the minimum elevation. If not provided no minimum elevation attribute is attached. Ignored in polygonal contouring (-p) mode.
Provides a name for the attribute in which to put the maximum elevation. If not provided no maximum elevation attribute is attached. Ignored in polygonal contouring (-p) mode.
--3d
Forces the production of 3D vectors instead of 2D. Includes elevation at every vertex.
Input pixel value to treat as 'nodata'.
Elevation interval between contours. Mutually exclusive with --levels, --exp-base.
List of contour levels. MIN and MAX are special values that represent the minimum and maximum values in the raster. When --polygonize is used, the specified values are used as bounds of the generated polygons. Mutually exclusive with --interval, --exp-base.
Generate levels on an exponential scale: base ^ k, for k an integer. Mutually exclusive with --interval, --levels.
Offset from zero relative to which to interpret intervals.
Create polygons instead of lines.
Group n features per transaction (default 100 000).

Dataset open option (format specific).

May be repeated.

Format/driver name to be attempted to open the input file(s). It is generally not necessary to specify it, but it can be used to skip automatic driver detection, when it fails to select the appropriate driver. This option can be repeated several times to specify several candidate drivers. Note that it does not force those drivers to open the dataset. In particular, some drivers have requirements on file extensions.

May be repeated.

The following example creates contour lines from a raster elevation model: 
gdal raster contour --interval 100 elevation.tif contour.shp

This will create a shapefile named contour.shp with contour lines at 100 meter intervals.

The following example creates contour polygons from a raster elevation model with custom attributes and fixed levels: 
gdal raster contour --levels MIN,100,200,MAX --polygonize --min-name MIN --max-name MAX elevation.tif contour.shp

This will create a shapefile named contour.shp with contour polygons from the minimum raster value to 100, and from 100 to 200 and from 200 to the maximum value, and with attributes MIN, and MAX.

Alessandro Pasotti <elpaso@itopen.it>

1998-2025

May 6, 2025