1962 Colonial Survey Atlas of Kenya

This is a 1962 atlas of Kenya, produced by the Survey of Kenya a year before the end of the British Protectorate. Though very much the result of a massive group effort (as with most modern cartography) it was produced under the guidance of Douglas Ernest Warren, one of the most effective and influential post-war surveyors working as Britain's colonies in Africa gained independence.

In the Book

The atlas contains forty seven leaves of maps, all printed in color. The maps of the full country - physical, cultural and statistical - are at the scale of 1 : 3,000,000 (unless otherwise noted.) A continental map places Kenya in relation to the rest of Africa; general maps of the country highlight regional boundaries, administrative regions, and physical characteristics. Six regional maps at the scale of 1 : 1,000,000 show Kenya's provinces in astonishing, richly-layered detail. Further national maps focus on specific areas of Kenya's economy and unique challenges. Cattle distribution, drainage, geological features, soil characteristics, vegetation, agriculture, and game and forest reserves all receive dedicated maps. Elaborate charts illustrate Kenya's rainfall and climate by seasons, and maps showing the prevalence of malaria, Tsetse flies, and cattle ticks reveal some of Kenya's challenges as an agricultural nation. Specific maps focus on Kenya's tribal and ethnographic divisions, and population density. Dedicated maps focus on police, communications, postal, educational and hospital resources. There are full sheet city plans of Nairobi and Mombasa; there are two sheets containing nine plans each of smaller townships.

Historical Maps

At the end of the atlas are reproductions of maps reaching back to the 16th century and familiar to the dedicated collector: Gastaldi, Linschoten, Blaeu, and Purdy all make appearances.

Publication History and Census

The first edition of the Atlas of Kenya was completed in 1959; a further edition was produced with the same title in 1962, with some updates and two new leaves of maps. A much-expanded third edition was printed in 1970 as the National Atlas of Kenya. All three editions are well represented in institutional collections.