Zambia赞比亚

Curatorial Note

In the mid-1960s, as Zambia gained independence in 1964, the young nation sought to consolidate its geographical identity through national cartography. The Museum of Atlases holds two English-language national atlases produced in this formative period, spanning 1966 to 1971. The first, *The Republic of Zambia Atlas* (1966), was compiled by the Surveyor General under the Ministry of Lands & Mines, reflecting a government-led effort to map the new republic’s physical and administrative landscape. The second, *National Atlas of Zambia* (1971), continued this tradition, likely expanding thematic coverage. These works were practical tools for nation-building, documenting resources, population, and infrastructure at a time of rapid post-independence development. Their compilation by official survey authorities underscores a centralized, state-driven approach, typical of early national atlas projects in Africa. While no contemporary reviews survive in our records, these atlases stand as foundational documents, setting a precedent for later cartographic works and serving as historical snapshots of Zambia’s early years. They remain valuable for researchers studying the intersection of cartography, decolonization, and national identity in Southern Africa.