Definitions of cartography, maps etc.
by © Mahes Visvalingam, various dates

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The starting point :
Cartography : 'The art, science and technology of making maps, together with their study as scientific documents and works of art.  In this context maps may be regarded as including all types of maps, charts and sections, three dimensional models and globes representing the Earth or any celestial body at any scale.'                                                         (ICA, 1973, p 1)

As of January 2003, the ICA was still exploring alternative definitions.  This web provides pointers to some publications provoking a re-definition of terms such as cartography, maps etc.  The papers contain several proposals, which are being teased out to promote unbiased discussion.  It will be a while before I can find the time to link in all known references.   In the meantime, if you would like me to include links to your work or those of others, please email me at: m.visvalingam@hull.ac.uk.  See Guidance Notes

Proposals:

  1. There is a need to re-define the 1973 ICA definition of maps
    Since maps are the focus of cartography, this needs to be addressed before we can finalise the definition of cartography..

  2. There is a need to re-define the 1973 ICA definition of cartography.

There is a need to re-define the 1973 ICA definition of maps

CONTENT

Case for:
▪ Visvalingam (1988)
▪ Maling (1991)
▪ ICA Working Group on Definitions - A range of proposed definitions

Case against:
▪ Vasiliev et al (1990)

Compilations by:

          ▪ J. H. Andrews, January 1998

Case for:

  • Visvalingam, M. (1988)
    "Cartography, Geographical Information Systems and Maps in Perspective", CISRG Discussion Paper 5, 16 pp.
    Please cite from the revised paper published as:
    Visvalingam, M (1989) "Cartography, GIS and Maps in Perspective" Cartographic J, 26 (1),     26 - 32.
    The paper gave several reasons for supporting the ICA's move to redefine (cartographic) maps.   The most important of the reasons are shown in green (this colour) on page 6 of the printed report.  My main point was that it was better to focus on the intellectual content and usage (e.g. to communicate, explore, understand) rather than retain ostensive definitions which point to types of maps. 

  • Maling, D H (1991) "The origins of that definition", Cartographic J 28 (2), 221- 223.
    The definition published by the ICA contains a mistake - it was not the text sent in by The British Cartographic Society.

  • ICA is still in the process of re-defining terms (and renaming itself) as of January 2003.

A range of already proposed definitions can be found in:
The following reports by the ICA Working Group on Definitions (Chair, Dr Chris Board)
Board C (1991) "Report of the ICA Working Group on Cartographic Definitions", Cartographic J 28 (2) 249 -250. 
Board C (1992) "Report of the Working Group on Cartographic Definitions", Cartographic J 29 (1) 65 - 69 

Case against:

  • Vasiliev, I,  (1990) Freundschuh, S, Mark, D M, Theison, G D, and McAvoy, J (1990) "What is a map?",  Cartographic J, 27 (2), 119 - 123. 
    The paper addresses the questions posed by Visvalingam (1988), although it does not cite her paper published in1989, and concludes     "Words such as 'map', 'Karte', and 'plano' are not technical terms. to be redefined by the cartographic community; they 'belong' to the native speakers of the English, German, and Spanish, respectively.  Rather than attempt to 'extend' the natural definitions of these terms, we should instead take them for what they are, and expand the definition of the map within the discipline to include related objects, products and representations." (p 122).

Compilations:
Page maintained by: Mahes Visvalingam
Last updated on Jan 2006

Cartographic Information Systems Research Group, University of Hull