Skip to main content

Post-colonial map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)

 Collection
Identifier: ubl660

Scope and Contents

The post-colonial map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute largely consists of modern topographical and thematical maps and town plans of developing countries, i.e. countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The core of the collection is formed by twentieth century topographical map series of Latin American, African and Asian countries, normally on a scale of 1:250,000 but, especially for smaller countries, on larger scales as well. Many of these series don’t cover the complete territory of a country. The map series weren’t always finished at the time they were collected.

Next to these topographical map series are smaller scale series of maps that cover larger regions or (parts of) continents. Apart from general maps and topographical map series, the collection contains various thematical maps and map series, among which geological, hydrographical, agricultural, meteorological, demographical, ethnological, linguisitcal, infrastructural and touristical maps, as well as town plans, national atlases and world maps.

Geographically, about 35% of the collection concerns maps of countries in Africa, 35% Asia and 20% Latin America. The other 10% of the collection contain maps of the world, Europe, Australia, Oceania, the oceans, seas, poles and heavens.

Dates

  • Creation: 1793-2005
  • Creation: Bulk 1950-2000

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Because the collection largely contains modern cartographic material, most maps are not free of copyrights. Therefore, digital images are not made available in Digital Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

Regulations that apply for the use of these materials can be found on the website of Leiden University Library.

Biographical / Historical

The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam is an independent center of knowledge and expertise in the areas of international and intercultural cooperation. The history of the collection dates back to 1864 with the foundation in Haarlem of the Colonial Museum. Parts of the collection can be traced back to the Hollandsche Maatschappij van Wetenschappen  (Dutch Society of Sciences), in particular to the department Koophandel en Colonies (Trade and Colonies), founded in 1777. In 1913 the collection was transferred to the Colonial Institute, founded in 1910 in Amsterdam. After the 1949 transfer of sovereignty to Indonesia the mission of the Royal Institute was altered and the name changed to Royal Tropical Institute. Since then, its library collected material relating to all tropical regions.

Extent

16,750 items (circa)

Language of Materials

No linguistic content; Not applicable

Abstract in Dutch

De collectie post-koloniale kaarten van het Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen bevat grotendeels moderne topografische en thematische kaarten en stadsplattegronden van ontwikkelingslanden, dat wil zeggen landen in Latijns Amerika, Afrika en Azië.

Abstract in English

The post-colonial map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute largely consists of modern topographical and thematical maps and town plans of developing countries, i.e. countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Physical Location

Leiden University Library, Special Collections

Immediate Source of Acquisition

After the library of the Royal Tropical Institute was closed down in 2013, its colonial heritage collection was housed at Leiden University Libraries, as a state loan. The modern post-colonial map collection, however, was transferred to Leiden University Libraries as a gift by the Royal Tropical Institute.

Accruals

No future additions are to be expected.

Related Materials

The collection is related to the Dutch colonial map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute and the Coomans-Eustatia maps collection. Together these collections formed the map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute.

Bibliography

  • Levi, P., 'Kaartencollecties in Nederland. Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT) in Amsterdam', in: Caert-Thresoor 31 (2012), 3: pp. 93-94.
  • Storms, M., 'UB Leiden zet Azië op de kaart', in: Geo-Info 11 (2014), 2, pp. 34-37.

General

The collection is accessible via the online catalogue. It can be consulted in the Special Collections Reading Room.

Processing Information

The material kept its original shelfmark.

Title
Collection guide of the post-colonial map collection of the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) (1793-2005)
Subtitle
Collectie post-koloniale Kaarten van het Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)
Author
Martijn Storms
Date
2020
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Leiden University Libraries Archives & Collections Repository

Contact:
Witte Singel 27
Leiden 2311 BG Netherlands
+31 71 527 2857