Kolloquium Geoinformatik Past, Present and Future of Cartography

For thousands of years humans have tried to depict the places and lands where they lived. We know cartographic drawings from many advances civilizations dating back far beyond the cultures of Rome or Greece. However, cartography as a science was only established about 100 years ago. This presentation gives an overview of the major highlights of the history of cartography and its path to become a science in its own right. Important changes in the understanding of cartography during the recent decades, current scientific issues and the position of cartography versus neighboring disciplines will be discussed. The talk finishes with an outlook into the future of cartography and the role of cartographers in shaping that future.