The Atlas of Uganda

Summary

This paper provides a detailed account of the production of the Atlas of Uganda, published to coincide with the country's Independence Day in October 1962. The author, B B Whittaker, begins by outlining the background: in 1961, the Department of Lands and Surveys was primarily occupied with land administration, leaving limited resources for mapping. However, following the constitutional conference in September 1961, it was decided to commence atlas compilation in January 1962, with the ambitious target of publication by Independence Day. The atlas aimed to present, in an attractive cartographic form, Uganda's physical structure, climate, flora and fauna, resources, peoples, and their developmental achievements, serving as a comprehensive reference for government, academia, and commerce. The paper then details the planning and production process. This includes decisions on format (a square volume with maps on right-hand pages and supplementary text, statistics, and photographs on left-hand pages), scale (1/1 500 000 for most maps using a transverse mercator projection), and map selection (a list of around 40 subjects was refined in consultation with the Department of Geography at Makerere University College). Technical aspects are thoroughly discussed, such as the preparation of base maps (involving trials of various colours for the line plate and a grey surround), scribing and masking techniques (using established methods like Astrastrip), and the management of letterpress, which proved to be a bottleneck. The author also reflects on the challenges of colour control and the overall production schedule. The paper concludes with a discussion section where colleagues praise the atlas's rapid production and cooperative effort, and compare it favourably with atlases from Kenya and Tanganyika. An additional report on a land surveyors' meeting regarding the Geodimeter 6 and Tellurometer 101 is appended.