Within the Bureau of the Census these remote sensing projects are
handled by the International Statistical Programs Center and the
Geography Division.
In early 1973, a Remote Sensing Census Project agreement was
negotiated with Afghanistan. An office was established in the
capital city, Kabul. Complete Landsat imagery of the country was
acquired. Equipment consisted of a color-additive viewer, a small
color Diazo reproduction unit and other miscellaneous photographic
items and materials. The goals of the project in Afghanistan were as
follows:
(1) To determine the feasibility of using Landsat imagery
to produce census-related products and information,
such as annotated photomaps and data.
(2) To measure urban development for obtaining a model to
verify and calibrate land cover as seen in Landsat
imagery, in both urban and rural areas, with ground
truth, and ultimately to develop a procedure for pro-
ducing regional and national population estimates.
Training courses for Afghan participants were held at the USGS EROS
Data Center in Sioux Falls and at the Afghan Cartographic Institute
in Kabul.
In early 1974 a Remote Sensing Census Project agreement was negoti-
ated with Kenya. A Nairobi Landsat office was established. Personnel
to staff the office were trained, and Landsat imagery and related
equipment for analysis were acquired. The Landsat imagery and the
equipment acquired were similar to that of the Kabul office, with one
addition, a density slicer. The basic project goals in Kenya are:
1. To check conformity and discrepancies of 1969 Census maps.
2. To study imagery for disappearance or changes of boundaries
used in 1969 Census.
3. To define enumeration area boundaries by using streams,
ravines and similar features especially in dry areas.
4. To consider using Landsat imagery to find alternatives to
imaginary lines used in 1969 Census.
5. To look for points or areas in desert areas occupied by
nomads, points such as water holes and areas covered by
significant patches of vegetation.
6. To study distribution of population with regard to land
cover in imagery.
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