Cartographical Survey: An Atlas of Ethiopia

Summary

This is an academic review of the revised edition of "An Atlas of Ethiopia" by Mesfin Wolde-Mariam (Addis Ababa: Ministry of Education, 1970). Building on the preliminary 1962 edition, this version incorporates updated statistical data from the Ethiopian Government's Central Statistics Office and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. Published by the Department of Geography at Haile Selassie I University and printed in Asmara, the atlas is primarily intended as a secondary school textbook. Approximately three-quarters of its content is presented cartographically, with the remainder in statistical tables and diagrams, covering relief, drainage, meteorology, geology, and distribution patterns for agriculture, livestock, crops, population, and languages. The atlas contains about 60 maps at a uniform scale of 1:9,000,000, necessitated by its compact size (28.0×21.5 cm), which poses challenges for clear information display. The review notes that while this atlas cannot be compared to those produced for Tanzania, Kenya, or Uganda—which employ a larger scale of 1:1,500,000—it is justly regarded as a pioneering work addressing a specific educational need. However, the reviewer suggests improvements, including more robust paperback binding, better reproduction of monochrome maps and aerial photographs, flexible scales for regional maps, and future additions such as transliteration notes, a gazetteer, and historical maps. Despite these limitations, the atlas represents a useful and practical contribution to Ethiopian school education.