Base and meridian are imaginary reference lines used by surveyors to accurately describe the location of land. These lines form part of the Government Rectangular Survey System, with the baseline running east-west and the meridian running north-south.
In the Rectangular Survey or Government Rectangular Survey method of land description, the baseline is the principal east-west line to which all north-south measurements are referred.
Metes and bounds is a legal method used to describe the boundaries of a piece of land using physical features, directions, and distances. It is often employed before land has been subdivided or platted.
Principal Meridian is a fundamental concept in the Government Rectangular Survey method of land description used to locate range lines accurately.
A quadrangle is a square-shaped land area 24 miles on each side, utilized in the Government Rectangular Survey method of land description. Each quadrangle contains 16 townships.
The U.S. Government Survey System, also known as the Government Rectangular Survey System, is a method used historically in the United States to divide and describe land.
VARA is a traditional unit of length used in Spanish-speaking countries. Though largely obsolete, it is still encountered in legal land descriptions and historical documents.
