Southern, Northeastern and Eastern Africa Integrated Terrain Units, 1984

The Southern, Northeastern and Eastern Africa members make up the Africa Integrated Terrain Units data set of the UNEP/FAO/ESRI Database project that covers the entire world. The maps were prepared by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), USA. Most data for the database were provided by the Soil Resources, Management and Conservation Service Land and Water Development Division, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Italy. The database was developed by the GRID Network of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as part of a project initiated by UNEP. The base maps that were used were the FAO/UNESCO Soil Map of the World (1977) in Miller Oblated Stereographic projection, the DMA Global Navigation and Planning Charts (various Dates between 1976-1982) and the National Geographic Atlas of the World (1975), Physiographic Diagram of Africa (the base for the physiographic division), Landsat Mosaics, USSCS World Soil Map of Africa, Landform map of North Africa, UNESCO Geological World Atlas, World Atlas of Agriculture. The high density polygon features were laser scanned at a resolution of 0.025 inches. The maps were then transformed from inch coordinates to latitude/longitude degrees. The transformation was done by an unpublished algorithm by US Geological Survey and ESRI to create coverages for one-degree graticules. This data forms the core of the Desertification study that was the final goal of the Data compilation in the UNEP/FAO/ESRI project. It shows all kinds of land features like general landuse, physiographic division, general vegetation etc. The order of integration is FAO soils, geology, USDA soils, landforms and surface modifiers, land surface forms, vegetation, landuse, physiographic divisions, geomorphological regions. The country boundaries were appended from the Administrative Unit map.