NATIONAL REPORT FOR THE 17TH ISPRS CONGRESS, ZIMBABWE 1992 
by Mr K Philip (Committee Chairman) & Mr T Heath (Committee Member) 
of the Zimbabwe Society for Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing & Cartography 
Dr H Kaufmann, Technical Expert in the National Remote Sensing Facility 
Mrs K Rogers Chairperson of the National Committee for Land and Geographic Systems, 
and Mr D P Goodwin, Lecturer, Dept of Surveying, University of Zimbabwe 
This First National report overviews the nation’s activities in photogrammetry and remote sensing and gives some details 
of the relevant institutions. Zimbabwe's inaugural year of membership to ISPRS coincides with the Department of the 
Surveyor-General's 100th anniversary, indicating the long involvement with surveying and mapping. This government 
department is responsible for national topographical mapping but air photography is contracted out to the commercial 
sector who also satisfy the demand for large scale engineering mapping and orthophotomapping. Elements of 
photogrammetry and remote sensing are taught within diploma courses at the Harare Polytechnic and to a more 
advanced level in the BSc Survey course at the University of Zimbabwe. Short courses in remote sensing are done at 
the University of Zimbabwe and the NRSF with co-operation from the Department of the Surveyor-General. Much 
interest in GIS has been generated and this led to a multi disciplinary National Committee for Land and Geographical 
Information Systems (LIS/GIS) being established. It currently operates under the aegis of the Surveyor General. In some 
organisations a start has been made to the collection of data in a digital format. The Zimbabwe Society for Photogrammetry, 
Remote Sensing and Cartography (ZIMPRAC) which is the body representing ISPRS in Zimbabwe and the compiler of this 
report, is a society that facilitates the meeting of people who are practising or interested in the mapping sciences. 
INTRODUCTION 
under the Department of Geological Survey with German 
aid (G.T.Z). The same aid agency has helped to 
establish the Department of Surveying at the University 
of Zimbabwe. All in all, this has led the way to some new 
As a young nation in the throes of development, Mapping technologies being introduced, and much 
Zimbabwe is most fortunate to be relatively well mapped. interest has been generated in Geographical Information 
The Department of the Surveyor-General is the principle Systems. 
topographic mapping authority and has been in place for 
over one hundred years. The first map produced by the The Zimbabwe Society for Photogrammetry, Remote 
Zimbabwe is a nation covering an area of 390 000 
square kilometres and comprises a wide variety of 
physical characteristics. 
department to cover the whole country was published in Sensing and Cartography is the body that subscribes to 
1902. A copy of this map, together with many others, ISPRS. The Society runs under the direction of a 
was on display at an exhibition mounted by the committee which is elected annually by its members. 
Department of the Surveyor-General in 1991 to celebrate Membership is currently about 40, most of whom are not 
100 years of surveying and mapping. actually practising in photogrammetry or remote sensing 
but rather people who have developed an interest in the 
Amongst the notable achievements of the Department mapping sciences. 
are: 
1. An excellent and secure land registration system 
resulting in no litigation over land to date. ACTIVITIES IN PHOTOGRAMMETRY 
2. A national trigonometrical system (instituted in 
1897) allowing all surveys to be connected to a 
common system. 
National Mapping continues to be carried out in the 
Department of the Surveyor General where data 
collection is still mainly by analogue stereoplotters. One 
3. Total 1:50 000 map coverage which commenced in second order stereoplotter has been linked to a mini 
1936 and completed in 1973. Most of these maps computer and data for the 1:5 000 series of the urban 
have since been compiled on stereoplotters. centres is being captured digitally. The aim is to develop 
automatic scribing and enhancement and thus speed up 
1991 was also the year that Zimbabwe became a the production of this important series. The Department is 
member of ISPRS. also compiling a data bank of cadastral and 
photogrammetric co-ordinates and attributes. 
Since gaining independence in 1980 Zimbabwe has 
attracted much attention from the developed world who Computer hardware and software were received as part 
have been keen to assist the nation in areas of mapping. of an agreement whereby Zimbabwe also received aid in 
The Department of the Surveyor-General benefitted from the form of small scale aerial photography of the whole 
a mapping project funded by the Canadian Government. country, orthophotomapping, and technical education 
A National Remote Sensing Facility has been set up from the Canadian International Development Agency. 
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