Putting a Nation on the Map: The Construction of a Geographical Imaginary through the Project for a National Atlas of Ethiopia, 1962–1987

Summary

This paper examines the production of the National Atlas of Ethiopia between 1962 and 1987, and how this project constructed a national geographical imaginary through visual and scientific communication. Drawing on the atlas's four editions (1962, 1970, 1981, and 1987) and geographic journal articles, the study analyzes how the atlas served state-led modernization and nation-building agendas under both imperial and socialist regimes. The findings reveal that the atlas functioned not merely as a scientific tool but as a political communication strategy, aiming to legitimize the Ethiopian nation-state by categorizing and defining space, while projecting national sovereignty internationally. Changes in map content and design reflected shifting political and economic contexts, from a focus on Western and UN connections to a more regional orientation. The paper also highlights the atlas's role in education and international development aid, though its reception and dissemination remain understudied. The conclusion underscores the atlas's significance as a historical source for understanding the roots of Ethiopia's current ethnic conflicts, demonstrating how state-led unity policies were enacted through scientific knowledge production.