A National Atlas of Uganda

Summary

This paper offers a critical review of two significant geographical works on Uganda published in 1962: the *Atlas of Uganda* and D.N. McMaster’s monograph *A Subsistence Crop Geography of Uganda*. The *Atlas*, compiled in only nine months to coincide with national independence, is assessed for its cartographic design, thematic content, and accompanying texts. Strengths include well-designed maps, instructive cartograms of tribal composition and freight traffic, an effective layer-coloured relief map, and a comprehensive climatic section. However, the review identifies several shortcomings: the misplacement of certain thematic maps (e.g., soils in the flora section), inconsistencies in colonial-era place names, spelling errors in scientific and local names, poor colour choices (green for roads proves indistinct under artificial light), and a lack of correspondence between some maps and their explanatory texts. Omissions of historical sites and incomplete correlation with recent administrative changes are also noted. Despite these flaws, largely attributable to the rushed production, the *Atlas* is regarded as a useful, well-rounded reference work that surpasses earlier regional atlases. McMaster’s monograph, based on a statistical analysis of official crop acreage data, examines the physical and social environment of subsistence agriculture, quantifies cultivated area, and maps food-crop distributions. The review commends the study’s methodological rigour and the author’s frank acknowledgment of data limitations. Together, both works fill a critical gap in East African geographical literature and serve as valuable resources for educators, students, and researchers interested in Uganda’s physical and human landscapes.