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 article examines the construction of a national geographical imaginary through the National Atlas of Ethiopia, published in four editions between 1962 and 1987, and its role in nation-building. Despite the resurgence of ethnically legitimated conflicts in Ethiopia since late 2020, scholars have paid little attention to the National Atlas and the history of geography in the country. The author traces the emergence of the atlas within the context of state-led modernization during both the imperial and socialist periods, connecting it to the establishment of the Geographical Institute, the history of censuses and social surveys, and international development aid. The study shows that governments in both eras sought to constitute the Ethiopian nation-state through visual and scientific communication, countering conflicting narratives of how the country had grown historically. The thematic maps and their changes across editions document how geographical knowledge production was closely intertwined with political and economic transformations. Early editions emphasized physical geography and resources, while later ones increasingly focused on administrative divisions, languages, and population. The atlas naturalized antagonisms between periphery and centre, north and south, and cultural and economic hierarchies, thereby legitimizing the idea of a Greater Ethiopia. Internationally, the atlas served as a tool to establish Ethiopia's place in global cartographic discourse and to gain recognition. The changing world maps—from an azimuthal projection centred on Addis Ababa in 1962 to comparative views with other African countries in the 1980s—reflect shifts in foreign policy. The author concludes that cartography functioned as a communication strategy to legitimize political authority, and that the National Atlas is a crucial source for understanding the historical roots of Ethiopia's current ethnic conflicts. Further research is proposed on the atlas's reception, its use in education, and its role in economic and military planning.