a far better knowledge of the tropical regions of this world than we possess at
present will be mandatory. Unfortunately, while enormous sums are being spent
at this time, both in the New and the Old World, on reaching and exploring the
moon, comparatively little money is available to improve our knowledge and
understanding of our own 'tropical backyard'.
Our limited knowledge of many parts of the world - tropical especially, but
also extra-tropical - is well illustrated by a series of atlases published by the
Department of Economic Affairs of the General Secretariat of the Organization
of American States (Pan American Union), under the leadership of Mr. kirk p.
rodgers, Chief of the Unit of Natural Resources.
In 1962 the Inter-American Committee for Agricultural Development3 began
an 'Inventory of Information Basic to the Planning of Agricultural Development
in Latin America'. Also in that year the Department of Economic Affairs of the
Organization of American States initiated a natural resources program. Map data
collected for the 'Inventory' became the basis for a project that, after much additi-
onal work, led to the compilation of the present series of atlases.
The title of each of the atlases is 'Annotated Index of Aerial Photographic
Coverage and Mapping of Topography and Natural Resources'. 4 One atlas each
has been published for the 19 member countries of the Organization of American
States. Thus, not included are Cuba, the Guianas, British Honduras, Jamaica and
the Lesser Antilles.
The inventory is primarily one of series of aerial photographs and maps but
recent single maps and even unpublished maps have been included when encoun-
tered in the work of compilation. However, as is stated in the introduction to each
of the atlases, many more unpublished maps are believed to exist. Also, no cover
age is shown which is considered 'classified' by the country concerned. Thus, it
was practically impossible to even attempt completeness.
Nevertheless, with these and a few other limitations mentioned below, the nine-
teen atlases together form a most valuable document concerning the present State
of our cartographic knowledge of Latin America.
While the series contains a wealth of positive data, from the point of view of
present geographic knowledge and possible future development, it constitutes
essentially an atlas of geographic ignorance. Immense areas are not covered by
any large, or even medium scale maps of the kinds that would be essential for
any form of economic planning.
The format of the atlases is large (44 by 56 cm), so that the index maps are easily
legible, and there is considerable space for text and tabular material. Each atlas
has four introductory pages of text, four columns per page, in Spanish (Portuguese
for Brazil) and English. The first index maps deal with air photo coverage: small
scales, 1:30,000 to 1 :over 20,000; medium scales, 1:20,000 to 1 :over 10,000; large
scales, 110,000 and larger. Provenance, dates and availability are given on op-
posite pages.
These are followed by a series of index maps dealing with topographic and plani-
metric coverage: small scales, 1 :over 100,000 to 1:500,000; medium scales,
1 :over 50,000 to 1100,000; large scales, 1:50,000 and larger. Neither the World
Aeronautical Chart series at 11,000,000, nor the American Geographical Society
series at the same scale have been indexed as their existence is well known. Major
characteristics, such as topographic or planimetric, and contour interval are given
160
A notable Cartographic Inventory
K.N.A.G. Geografisch Tijdschrift I (1967) Nr. 2
