https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2379-1752
Founded in 1959, the mission of the International Cartographic Association (ICA) is to promote the disciplines and professions of cartography and GIScience in an international context. Each national member of the ICA is represented by one organization (normally the reporting body) and the British Cartographic Society fulfils this function on behalf of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. As of spring 2023, the ICA comprises 73 national members and 40 affiliate members, with the latter including commercial companies.
Normally, the ICA holds its International Cartographic Conference (ICC) every two years and its General Assembly every four years, which is held at alternating ICCs. The business of the General Assembly includes receiving an update in the form of a National Report from each national member on its cartographic and geoinformation activities during the previous four-year period. This is compiled and submitted by the United Kingdom Cartography Committee (UKCC) on behalf of the British Cartographic Society. The UKCC also discusses proposals for amendments to ICA Statutes and By-Laws, its budget, and nominations for Officers and Commissions for the next four-year period. It provides guidance to the UK National Delegate – who is also the Chair of the UKCC – on how the UK should vote at each forthcoming ICA General Assembly.
The UK has a long tradition of active engagement in the leadership of the ICA. The UK was a founder member of the ICA Executive Committee and subsequently fulfilled the roles of President (Denys Thackwell from 1964 to 1968 and Michael Wood from 1995 to 1999), Secretary-General (David Fairbairn from 2007 to 2011), and, more recently, of Vice-President (David Forrest from 2015 to 2019). The UK has also founded, led, or participated in several ICA Commissions and Working Groups, which carry out a wide range of research activities across the full breadth of cartography and GIScience. Of the current 28 Commissions and six Working Groups, the Commissions on Map Design and on Topographic Mapping were both established by the UK and remain active.
The reporting period (2019–2023) has seen a change in leadership of the UKCC, with Alex Kent succeeding David Forrest as Chair following ICC2021 in Florence. David joined the UKCC in 2002 and became Chair in 2005, serving as the UK Deputy Delegate to the General Assemblies of ICC2003 (Durban) and ICC2005 (A Coruña), then succeeding Christopher Board as UK Delegate to the General Assemblies of ICC2007 (Moscow), ICC2011 (Paris), ICC2015 (Rio de Janeiro), ICC2017 (Washington, DC) and ICC2019 (Tokyo). David will serve as UK Deputy Delegate to the forthcoming General Assembly at ICC2023 (Cape Town). Alex has supported David as UK Deputy Delegate to the General Assemblies in Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Washington, DC, and Tokyo, and will serve as the UK Delegate to the General Assembly for ICC2023 in Cape Town.
After serving a maximum of two terms as Chair of the Commission on Topographic Mapping, Alex has been nominated by the UKCC for the role of Vice-President of the ICA for 2023–2027. Following David's four-year term as Vice-President, the UKCC nominated David to succeed Alex as Chair of the Commission on Topographic Mapping for the forthcoming term. Elections for Vice-Presidents and all Commissions (existing and proposed) will be held during the General Assembly at ICC2023 in Cape Town.
The general approach to compiling the UK National Report for 2019–2023 differs from previous years. This includes delegating responsibility for its compilation to a member of BCS Council, in this case Christopher Budas, and commencing the process of coordinating the National Report much earlier in the four-year cycle. Overall, its aims are to: (a) provide a comprehensive survey of UK activity in the reporting period; (b) expand the scope of the National Report to include organizations that engage in mapping and its education more broadly (including GIS and remote sensing, where applicable); (c) compile a user-friendly directory of organizations to facilitate searching and making contact; and (d) introduce a more detailed classification of entries that allows their location and distribution within the UK to be mapped. The latter, especially, provides some insights into the geography of cartographic and associated industries and education providers ( and ), indicating various clusters.
Figure 1. Locations of commercial organizations, educational institutions, governmental organizations and map libraries included in the UK National Report. Compiled using Natural Earth base data and QGIS.
Figure 2. Commercial organizations, educational institutions, governmental organizations and map libraries included in the UK National Report that are located in Central London. Compiled using OpenStreetMap data and styled with mapz.
The information for this National Report was compiled in two stages. First, a questionnaire was developed and disseminated for the purposes of gathering information from mapping organizations and companies, inviting them to submit detailed reports with images. The participants comprise those represented in previous UK National Reports, which include BCS Corporate Members and other major organizations. This initial phase was followed by a period of desk research to identify a further group of organizations who have played an active role in shaping the cartographic landscape of the UK over the past four years. This includes the provision of imagery and geospatial services where mapping is a major component of their business activities. As part of this research, information on the use of social media was also collected (). In addition, a survey was undertaken of higher education courses where geospatial elements (such as cartography and geographical information systems) are taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to provide a reference point for those looking to study in the UK.
Figure 3. Social media platforms referenced on participants' websites, ranked by percentage of entries in the UK National Report. Most websites utilized a combination of platforms.
The UK National Report for 2019–2023 is organized into three sections (Full Entries, Higher Education Courses, and Short Entries) and includes a thematic index and a general alphabetical index to facilitate searching. The entries are subdivided into categories that aim to reflect the diversity of mapping activity being undertaken in the UK. Since the format of the ICC2023 Map Exhibition has moved away from physical entries, these are not included in this National Report but some will be included in Maplines, the Society magazine. We thank all participating organizations and individuals of the UK National Report 2019–2023 and wish them every success in their activities for the next four-year term.
Notes on the cover
The map on the cover was designed by Tania Willis, a freelance illustrator and mapmaker included in this National Report. Here, Tania explains her approach to designing the map: My hometown, Berwick upon Tweed, stands as England's most northerly town, nestled at the top of Northumberland on the English-Scottish border. A key feature is its well-preserved Elizabethan walls, built in the sixteenth century during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. These fortifications bear witness to Berwick's historical role as a frontier town, marked by conflicts and sieges that have left an enduring imprint on its stone walls. Today, these ramparts provide panoramic views of the town and its surroundings. Commissioned by English Heritage, I created a visitor's map for two walks around The Ramparts of Berwick upon Tweed. The map's purpose was to guide visitors through the town's rich history as they explore the walls and their environs. English Heritage tasked me with integrating informative facts directly onto the map, offering visitors a narrative of the historical significance of each section of the Elizabethan ramparts. As an illustrator, my goal was to achieve this through a playful and illustrative language, appealing to all ages, while ensuring clear navigation.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Alexander J. Kent
Alexander J. Kent is Chair of the UK Cartography Committee and National Delegate to the ICA General Assembly. A former President of the British Cartographic Society, he has served as Vice-Chair of the ICA Commission on Map Design and as Chair of the ICA Commission on Topographic Mapping. He is Honorary Reader in Cartography and Geographic Information Science at Canterbury Christ Church University and leads the Coastal Connections project for World Monuments Fund and English Heritage.
Christopher Budas
Christopher Budas has served on the Council of the British Cartographic Society since 2018 and organizes the Teatime Talks (https://www.cartography.org.uk/teatime-talks), the Society's successful programme of online webinars on cartographic topics, which began in 2020. He has worked for over 15 years at Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory), where he is currently a Senior Geospatial Scientist.
Seppe Cassettari
Seppe Cassettari has over 40 years' experience in the mapping and geospatial industries. In 1998 he became CEO of The GeoInformation Group, which went on to publish geospatial datasets and to undertake many projects in the UK and abroad. Having recently retired from his role running Geomni UK, he now works part time as a consultant and training specialist, and is the current President of the British Cartographic Society.