PROGRESS REPORT OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, ORR MONTH OF JANUARY 1959 OFFICE OF THE CHIEF, GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62-00680R000100020104-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 15, 1998
• Sequence Number: 104
• Publication Date: January 1, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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PROGRESS REPORT OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, ORR
MUCH OF JANUARY 1959
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF,. GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
Acr. ninhments and Coordination Activitiee
1_ Production and services in the Geographic Research Area rose
to onsnttnalsYhigher levels during January. Except for a Geographic
IntenSIngence Review (1056), most of the maps and reports ccespleted
were 'In support of DD/I components. Work in band includes various UW
and D7S trojects, an administrative atlas of Mainland China, a revision
nf G-1n, ScmisIjmillg, the USSR city plans program, and a contribu-
tion.. to
Tt i659 Among new projects expected to develop during
FeTC. ern a a-W(3.y on the Kurdish problem and the production of a
Geogeannic Satelligence Review devoted wholly to Africa.
2,
The Cextfograpiv Division completed 85 maps and charts -- 81
far Itc, Agenav and 4 for the Department of State. Reqnests were accepted
fnf ra-7, ctarta -- 120 for CIA componeuts and 2 for the Department
or
Stane
3, The Geoexaphy. Division eompleted one Geograi1c Intelligence
Review KMR-56); two Geograrhic Intelligence Reports GR-197, Agro4imatic
Evaluation nn7. the Sovietneorn
Program; and GR 59-1, The Distance Factors
IIMITISlaconent-ariCia-IrnME741tes in the USSR); onenlinGiE-072--
NIS 2,-Irelaqirrone NIS Section 19 of Chapter I (NIS 2, Ireland); one
Map
ant. Charfhpraisml ccapcment of the NIS Chapter I Annua.1-7-7rIS 26,
USSR); and six geographic memoranda in the G/I series.
4, The Map library Division received 7,785 foreign-published maps
during the sionth, oT wilich 33% were retained in CIA; 42% sent to AMP;
and 2174 to the Library of Congress. Among the significant items re.-
ceived were sone Brnsinnan city pian; a 1958 tourist nap of Rumania
at In1,000,000; a 1958 clinatic atlas of Czechoelovakia; and plans of
a number of at Gamin cities. The Division sent out 22,371 map sheets
In response to 1,135 requests; in addition, 277 geographic and carto-
graphic itewe were atetnibuted in response to 114 reqnests.
5 Chief/G took action during the month to attempt to resolve
problem created by the apparent production of finished intelligence by
PP/C/TLB. A,meeting was first convened at Which E=====1
Chief of WC/TAB, end several GRA personnel discussed the purpose ath
scope of the TAB production. activity. It was agreed that the TAB studies
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may fulfill reel needs, but that the procedures normally employed in
compiling them do not square with accepted research techniques or with
Agency publications standards. The group agreed that ORR should play
a larger role in the studies so as better to assure their essential
validity. Subsequent to this meeting, Chief/G met ir1121
Chief of PP/C, to discuss the Urd program in general. Mr. to
curpeitlyrreparing a staff study Which seeks to obtain clarification
of the priority status of the UW program. Chief/0 drew his attention
to the problem of determininglitare UW support studies should normally
be produced In the field or at headquarters .- and to the question
of the relationship of the broader TAB type of study to NIS respomsibili-
ties. It was agreed that the 0.2 Production Division sort of activity
into which the TAB work Is developing warrants a closer look at DD/P-DD/I
relationships and a canal f the placement of a DDJI research
beachhead Lathe DD/P. Mr. plans to check back with Chief/G
before transmittal of the staff study.
25X1A9a 6. MAIM DOM, participated in two inter-agency' meetings
relatei to tion of a US mapping program in the Antarctic. At
one nesting, held at MOS, further progress was made in the development
of a specific proposal. The other meeting, held in State Department,
was concerned with briefing the U.S. delegate to the forthcaming meeting
on Antarctic mapping to be held by the Special Committee on Antarctic
Research in Canberra, March 1959.
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7. ihelliprogressed during the month to
the extect of completion of the first ?Imp. Between forty and
fifty of the "trip" maps are being planned for the coming year.
8. Conferences were held by Cartography Division personnel with
representatives of WE? to plan a series of naps for field operational
use and Leadquarters training. Mr. vill present a related series
of lectures on sketch mapping in an Isolation area, 2-6 March.
9. The Special Assistant to Chief/G presented a briefing on GRA
personnel needs before Office of Personnel's annual assedbly of field
recruiters.
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10. Chief, DIGLI served as a U.S. delegate to the Vth Ccesultation
of the Commission on Geography of the Pan American Institute of Geography
and History at Quito, Ecuador, 7 to 16 January 1959.
COR/Ch/G :RTA: smc/535(10 February 19
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