JoseFitani
⛰️ Elevation & Terrain

Altitude Finder

Enter any address or coordinate to find the altitude above sea level.

This page explains how the altitude finder works, the data and formulas behind it, and how to interpret the result. SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) was flown in 2000 and covers 80% of Earth's land surface with 30 m resolution and ~16 m vertical accuracy. In the United States, USGS 3DEP 10 m data is used for better accuracy. The tool is one of 329 free, open tools on JoseFitani for maps and geography. It runs in your browser with no sign-up needed. Use the search field or click the map to drop a pin - the tool uses queries to the Open-Elevation API backed by SRTM 30 m and country-specific DEMs and returns the result in seconds. Below you'll find a step-by-step guide, real use cases, the methodology, FAQs, and data sources.

Important notice

Altitude values come from public elevation data services and are approximate. They are for general information only — do not rely on them for safety-critical decisions such as aviation, surveying, or mountaineering route planning.

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How to use this tool

1
Enter your input

Type your query, paste coordinates, or click on the map. The tool uses queries to the Open-Elevation API backed by SRTM 30 m and country-specific DEMs to process your input locally in the browser.

2
View the result

The result appears instantly with the map showing your location. You can adjust by clicking elsewhere or searching a new place.

3
Copy or share

Click Copy to save to clipboard, or Share to send a direct link with the exact inputs.

What people use this tool for

Flight performance awareness

Private pilots check field altitude before departure because thin air lengthens take-off rolls and softens climb rates. A mountain airstrip at 3,200 metres behaves nothing like a sea-level runway. The pressure estimate alongside helps set the altimeter correctly.

Example: A pilot departing Leh checks the airfield's altitude and estimated pressure to recalculate take-off distance on a warm afternoon.
High-altitude baking adjustment

Bakers adjust leavening, liquid, and oven temperature once they know their kitchen's altitude. At 1,600 metres water boils noticeably below 100 degrees and cakes rise faster then collapse. Looking up the altitude turns vague recipe notes into a concrete correction.

Example: A home baker who moved to Denver looks up the altitude and finally understands why every cake recipe needs less baking powder now.
Tea brewing at elevation

Water boils cooler as altitude rises, which changes extraction for coffee and tea. A trekker brewing at 3,000 metres gets water near 90 degrees instead of 100. Knowing the altitude explains the thinner cup and suggests longer steeping.

Example: A tea seller in Darjeeling checks the town's altitude to calibrate brewing guidance printed on the packets for tourists.
Athlete acclimatisation planning

Coaches planning altitude camps need the exact elevation of the training venue to schedule arrival days. Performance drops predictably with altitude, so the number drives the training calendar. The pressure estimate also hints at how hard the thin air will feel.

Example: A marathon coach checks Addis Ababa's altitude before a training block to plan how many easy days the squad needs on arrival.

How it's calculated

Uses SRTM-derived global digital elevation data. Altitude values are in meters and feet.

The calculation runs in your browser - no data is sent to our servers. Map tiles come from OpenStreetMap (ODbL license), geocoding uses Nominatim (1 request/second limit), and elevation uses the Open-Elevation API backed by SRTM data. All are free, open services.

All calculations use the WGS84 datum (EPSG:4326), the same as GPS. For other datums (NAD27, NAD83, ETRS89), a separate conversion is needed. The difference is typically under 1 metre - negligible for most uses but important for survey-grade work.

The formulas match those in professional GIS software (QGIS, ArcGIS, Global Mapper), just in a browser-friendly form. For sub-metre accuracy, use professional software with ellipsoidal calculations. Results are shown in multiple units: km and miles for distance, km²/m²/hectares/acres for area, metres and feet for elevation. Conversion factors are exact (1 mile = 1.609344 km), so the only error source is input precision.

Related tools and resources

For more tools in this category, explore the related tools listed below. Each tool includes full documentation, examples and FAQs. Explore related tools in our Elevation category for complementary functionality. See the Tools index for all 329 tools, or read our blog for in-depth articles on geography and maps.

Frequently asked questions

Does this work at sea?

Yes - sea-level locations return values near 0 m.

What is the difference between altitude and elevation?

Elevation describes the height of ground above sea level, while altitude usually describes the height of something in the air, like an aircraft or a person standing on that ground. In practice the two numbers are identical for a location lookup. This tool reports the terrain height and labels it altitude because travellers and pilots think in that term.

Can I get altitude readings without a signal?

Yes. The altitude lookup calls an elevation API over the network, so it returns nothing offline. The page must reach the data service for every new location you enter. If you are travelling somewhere remote, look up your destinations before you leave coverage.

How is the air-pressure estimate calculated?

The tool applies the barometric formula, which models how pressure falls with height in a standard atmosphere. It assumes sea-level pressure of 1013.25 hPa and a standard temperature lapse rate. Real weather systems shift actual pressure above or below the estimate, so treat it as a baseline, not a live reading.

Why does the estimate differ from my weather app?

Your weather app reports live station pressure, which includes the current high or low pressure system over your area. This tool's estimate assumes a standard atmosphere with no weather. The gap between them is exactly the weather: subtract one from the other and you see the passing system.

At what altitude does cooking noticeably change?

Most cooks notice the difference above roughly 900 metres, where water boils around 97 degrees instead of 100. By 2,000 metres the boiling point drops near 93 degrees and pasta takes visibly longer. The tool's altitude reading tells you which adjustment bracket your kitchen falls into.

Is the altitude the same as what my phone's GPS shows?

Close but not identical. Phone GPS reports height above the WGS84 ellipsoid, while this tool's terrain data references the geoid that approximates sea level. The two can differ by tens of metres. For hiking and travel planning the difference rarely matters.

Can it tell me the altitude of a mountain summit?

Yes, entering the summit's coordinates returns the terrain height there, which for a sharp peak is the summit altitude. SRTM's 30-metre grid can clip the very tip of a narrow summit, so famous peaks sometimes read a few metres low. Published survey figures remain the authority for record claims.

Does temperature affect the pressure estimate?

Yes, and the simple barometric formula uses a standard temperature profile rather than today's actual temperature. Cold dense air raises real pressure above the estimate; hot thin air lowers it. For aviation or precise science, use a live METAR report instead of the estimate.

Data sources & methodology