To what extent do European state topographic maps exhibit unique styles of cartography? This paper describes an investigation to classify and analyse stylistic diversity in the official 1 : 50 000 topographical mapping of 20 European countries. The method involves the construction of a typology of cartographic style, based upon the classification of distinct graphical legend symbols into mutually exclusive thematic categories. In order to identify stylistic similarities between national symbologies, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to compare the relative proportions of symbols within each category. This was complemented by a qualitative analysis of various aspects of cartographic design: colour, 'white' space, visual hierarchy, and lettering. The results indicate a high degree of stylistic diversity throughout Europe, with the symbologies of Great Britain and Ireland demonstrating the strongest example of a supranational style. The typology of cartographic symbologies is shown to be an effective method for determining stylistic association among maps of differing geographical (and potentially historical) origins and it is suggested that the cartographic language paradigm should be revisited as a means for understanding why national differences persist in state cartography. A version of this paper was presented at the Twenty-third International Cartographic Conference in Moscow.

For people with locomotor difficulties space can frequently raise insurmountable problems which at first sight may seem so trivial to able-bodied persons that they become ignored. Space is often difficult to deal with, but seldom are the views of the physically disabled acknowledged in mapping and urban design.

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This paper explores the merit of incorporating the personal geographies of individuals with impaired mobility into the production of access and mobility maps. If cartographers take it upon themselves to produce maps without first seeking to understand these geographies or images of place, they are likely to infuse their work with their own values and meanings. This becomes especially important if it is accepted that maps may have a political role . The issue of accessibility is inherently political, cities are literally crippled when members of their population are restricted from reaching their full potential due to inadequate planning and design . The paper describes an attempt to develop a cartographic process which incorporates the values of the user group into all stages of map design . The project highlights the complex nature of environmental imagery and the merit of producing symbolic cartographic representations of environmental values .