Developments of cartography in Albania

• Main Author: Pal NIKOLLI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Geo-SEE Institute 2020-06-01
• Series: Micro, Macro & Mezzo Geoinformation
• Subjects: cartography; albania
• Online Access: http://mmm-gi.geo-see.org/wp-content/uploads/MMM-GI_14/Nikolli_P.pdf

The paper estimates that the first thematic map and the first economic map were created in the 4th century BC, and not respectively, in the seventeenth century AD and in the nineteenth century AD (year 1872), as defined by today's cartographic literature. The first geological maps of Albania, which are considered the first thematic maps of our country, were created in the years 1828 - 1879 by the naturalist A. Boue and the geologist A. Vuquesnel. But, for the first time, a complete geological map of Albania was published by Novak in year 1929, in Salzburg. In the following years, geological maps at scale of 1: 200000 were continuously published. Albania's last geological map was published in 2002. In addition to geological maps, ethnographic, economic, etc. maps have also been published. Ethnographic maps have been published by foreign authors such as: Lejean (1861), Saks (1877), Kiepert (1876, 1882), etc., but also by Albanian authors such as: N. Lako, A. Gashi, N. Kosturi etc., which are distinguished for a somewhat objective presentation of reality. During the time interval 1847-1913, 17 ethnographic maps were published. In the National Library of Albania (NLA) there are about 180 different thematic maps in large scale, such as: physical map, map of animals and birds, tectonic map, hydrogeological map, map of forests and pastures, land cover map , politicaladministrative maps, seismic map, etc., and atlases such as: climatic atlas, etc., all for Albania. Economic maps occupy a special place in the cartographic fund of the National Library of Albania (about 38 large-scale maps). The first economic map, which is found in NLA, is the one entitled “Albania [cartographic material], Roma, 1937, with statistics from 1936-1937 for the main agricultural and livestock products and for the registration of working animals of the prefectures: Kosovo, Shkoder, Durres, Dibër, Tirana, Elbasan, Berat, Korçë, Vlore and Gjirokastër “Economic map of Albania - for schools”, (wall map with color and size 87 x 48 cm), compiled by prof.dr. Vasil Kristo, former lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Tirana and published in 1963, is the first general economic map of the Republic of Albania.