What is the primary purpose of a cadastral survey?

The primary purpose of a cadastral survey is to determine land boundaries for ownership and taxation purposes. Cadastral surveys establish the legal boundaries of land parcels, which is crucial for property ownership. This type of survey is essential for documenting land ownership, facilitating property transactions, resolving disputes, and ensuring that property taxes are correctly levied based on the defined land areas.

While assessing landform features is important in some surveys, it is not the primary focus of a cadastral survey. Topographic maps, which represent the three-dimensional features of the terrain, go beyond the scope of defining boundaries. Measuring angles and distances visually, such as in general surveying practices, does not specifically pertain to the legal demarcation of property lines that cadastral surveys are designed to achieve. Therefore, the focus on ownership and taxation in the context of land boundaries distinguishes cadastral surveys from other surveying types.