Although the range of maps and charts now available in many countries is so extensive that a complete listing is impractical, any list of the principal types would have to include aeronautical (worldwide and national), congressional or political districts, population distribution, geologic (various scales), highways (national and secondary political units), historical, hydrographic (coastal areas, inland waters, foreign waters), national forests, forest types, public land survey plats, soil, and topographic (national and foreign).

The National Atlas of the United States of America, published by the Geological Survey in 1970, contains contributions from all of that country’s mapping agencies. Summaries are provided of all thematic and economic data of interest. The atlas also indicates where more detailed information or large-scale specialized maps may be obtained. Many countries have centres where detailed information on existing map series and related data may be obtained. In the United States this service is performed by the Map Information Office of the U.S. Geological Survey, which publishes and distributes indexes of each state showing map coverage and ordering information. Summary data on geodetic control and aerial photography are also maintained.

The situation is less complex in other countries where mapping activities are concentrated in one or two organizations—e.g., Ordnance Survey in Great Britain and Institut Géographique National in France. The main agencies can advise where maps produced by others may be obtained. Technical societies maintain large map reference libraries and are prime sources of information, as are the map sections of national libraries and museums.

Government and other mapping agencies

The following are the primary agencies of selected countries having advanced mapping programs.

Military agencies play large roles in the mapping activities of many countries. Frequently, a small cadre of officers administers the mapping facilities, while most of the production personnel are civilian. Many countries, such as Iran and the United States, have both civilian and military organizations that collaborate in developing their respective programs and in performing the actual mapping.

Most countries have private and commercial organizations that produce maps. The widely distributed road maps noted earlier are printed by a few large producers who, in cooperation with others, compile the maps. Very large-scale maps—for example, for road construction and other engineering works—are produced under contract by a number of mapping companies. Some local highway departments have their own photogrammetric units to provide or supplement such productions. City surveys and maps for real-estate developments, tax records, power lines, and so on are largely produced by commercial organizations.

Large societies, such as the American Geographical Society, the National Geographic Society, and the Royal Geographical Society, play important roles in addition to being centres of reference as noted above. The National Geographic Society produces popular small-scale maps of the various regions of the world. The American Geographical Society has compiled many maps, most notably a 1:1,000,000 coverage of Hispanic America on standards similar to those of the International Map of the World. Technical societies, such as the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, the American Society of Photogrammetry, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and others, lend their support to mapping programs and activities. They issue technical papers and hold frequent meetings where new processes and instrumentation are discussed and displayed. The Manual of Photogrammetry and Journal, produced by the American Society of Photogrammetry, Photogrammetria, published by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and Surveying and Mapping, published by the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, are prime examples of important contributions that societies make to the overall progress of mapping.

International organizations

Many societies and other types of organizations are now engaged in activities associated with maps and mapping. In general, they encourage cooperation through meetings and articles in their journals; some are more directly concerned with the dissemination of information on the progress of particular kinds of mapping and charting. Standardizations of map treatments and conventional signs as well as the promotion of progress in technical processes are further objectives of such groups.

The United Nations Office of Cartography plays an important role in all of the activities noted above. It maintains records of progress on the International Map of the World and performs related services formerly handled by the Central Bureau of the IMW. Technical assistance in the development of mapping facilities and programs is provided on request. Occasional regional meetings are arranged for groups of countries having similar problems, while the journal World Cartography publishes related papers.

The Inter-American Geodetic Survey is a special unit of the U.S. Corps of Engineers organized to forward the completion of geodetic surveys and mapping in the Americas. Through technical training and assistance with programs, geodetic surveys in Central and South America have been greatly advanced in recent years. Training in photogrammetry is offered and has promoted the establishment of mapping facilities and programs in many of the collaborating countries.

The Pan American Institute of Geography and History has sponsored regular meetings and consultations on cartography, much in the manner of scientific societies. The consultations are held in different countries each year.

The International Hydrographic Bureau was founded in 1921 in Monaco, where it has been headquartered through the years. It serves as a clearinghouse for information related to hydrography and charting and maintains a General Bathymetric Chart of the World, which is revised periodically to include data furnished by the maritime nations participating in their programs and conferences. Other organizations that promote progress in the various aspects of mapping and charting are the International Association of Geodesy, the International Cartographic Association, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Geographical Union, the International Federation of Surveyors, the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, and the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics.