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Elevation is measured from Mean Sea Level, or MSL. That's the average vertical point where the Earth's seas meet land. In theory, that would be a common level throughout the Earth. In reality, there are many variations, complicated further by the fact that the Earth is not a perfect sphere. A standard coordinate frame for the Earth called the World Geodetic System is gradually gaining acceptance. Its use would assure consistency in elevation measurements. Increasingly GPS (global-positioning satellite) measurement of elevation is being used, resulting in changes in some long-known elevation numbers. For example, Colorado's famous Pikes Peak has "always" been known to have a summit elevation of 14,110 feet, but it was recently remeasured at 14,115 feet.

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