Cartographic activities at ORSTOM: National atlas of Cameroon

Summary

This account describes the compilation and publication of the Atlas of Cameroon, called the National Atlas of Cameroon in the article. Its project began in 1956; the author identifies it as the first African national atlas produced by ORSTOM or with its participation. The base scale is 1:2,000,000, with other scales chosen according to theme, data quality and desired detail. Unbound sheets and commentary fascicles permit updates and additions. The first installment, published in 1960–1961, mainly covered the natural environment; geophysical and medical-geography sheets followed. At the time of writing, human-geography maps were complete but undistributed: northern and southern sheets at 1:1,000,000 used quantitative dots to locate human groups, with shape and colour identifying broad ethnic families, alongside separate quantitative population-distribution maps. A density map at 1:2,000,000 used canton-level units and colours that the author says strongly distinguish densely populated areas from sparsely inhabited or uninhabited areas. Maps of mining, timber, industry, energy and commerce were in press.