Geological map of Africa

Geological map of Africa

A new edition of the Geological Map of Africa at the scale of 10 million was produced on the occasion of the 35th International Geological Congress (Cape Town, 29 August-2 September 2016) under the impetus of the Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CCGM), with the support of UNESCO and the Geological Society of Africa, and the technical and scientific coordination of BRGM. This new map largely reproduces the geological data of the Geology and main deposits of Africa map published on the same scale on the occasion of the 20th Congress of African Geology (Orléans, 2-7 June 2004) while enriching it with works published since.

Geological map of Africa

In line with recent developments in geological mapping, the new edition is mainly guided by the time parameter and uses, with very little modification, the colour code recommended by the CGMW. At first sight, it is therefore the organisation into large domains (basins, orogens) of different ages that stands out, the discrimination of rock types in each domain being obtained by the use of overloads.

With the constraints inherent in producing a small-scale synthesis of a very large region, this new edition aims to make the overall geological organisation of Africa easily perceptible, leading to a continental-scale vision.

Geological map of Africa