The Commission for the Geological Map of the World (CGMW or CCGM in French) is an international association in the field of geology. Its main role is the production of small-scale geological or geoscience-related maps of the globe, or parts of the globe. It is an organization affiliated to the IUGS International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) and is a UNESCO-related scientific NGO.
The origin of CGMW is rooted in the II IGC (International Geological Congress) held in 1881 in Bologna (Italy), when it was decided to draw a geological map of Europe. When created, the CGME (Commission for the Geological Map of Europe) comprised 6 members, representing Austria, Germany, Hungary,France, Great Britain and Russia, and Berlin was proposed as the place for the headquarters. [1] At the XI IGC (1910, Stockholm, Sweden), the CGME resolved "that it will be possible to achieve a first edition in one year ..." and the possibility of preparing a map of the world supported by wide international cooperation was officially mentioned for the first time. [2] At the XII IGC (1913, Toronto, Canada), CGME presented the first edition of the geological map of Europe (49 sheets at 1:1.5M scale), and a resolution on the project for an "International Geological Map of Europe and new map of the World" [3] was accepted. The resolution on the project at the XIV IGC (1926, Madrid, Spain) on the discussion on problems of the geological maps of Europe and the World continued. [4] The name of the Commission: "Commission de la Carte géologique internationale du Monde" first appeared at a meeting on 27 May 1926. [5] The date of foundation of CGMW as an autonomous commission can be defined as 1913.
World War II reduced the international activities of geologists and the first post-war CGMW meeting was held at the XVIII IGC (1948, London, UK) where the relationships between IGC and CGMW were stated: la Commission de la Carte Géologique du Monde est une Commission du Congrès Géologique International [The CGMW is a Commission of the IGC]. In 1962, the CGMW general assembly (G.A) was held in Paris, and for the first time at UNESCO. This schedule of a G.A in Paris, between those held every four years during the IGCs, became the rule (i.e a G.A every two years). In 1966, the CGMW joined the IUGS (International Union of geological Sciences, itself founded in 1961). "At present, therefore, this Commission is a permanent commission and affiliated to IUGS as an International Association of IGC. [6]
The statutes of CGMW were established for the first time in 1966 and, after some revisions, finally stabilized [7] at the XXVI IGC (1980, Paris, France) and remain roughly unchanged since then (2024). From 1980, CGMW has now a legal frame under French law, since it was officially registered on October 26, 1981 as a "French Association governed by the law of 1901". [8] The article 5 defines that "Statutory members are national organizations responsible for solid earth science mapping of all the countries or territories of the world which adhere to CGMW " and "associate members are public or private organizations interested in and supportive of the CGMW's work ...".
The launch of a Geological Atlas of the World at 1:10M scale project (continents and oceans) was approved [9] during the XX IGC (Mexico City, 1956) and launched in 1966. This huge project was shared between CGMW (preparation of maps) and UNESCO (grants to CGMW collaborators and printing). The 22 maps of the Geological Atlas of the World were co-published by CGMW and UNESCO from 1974 to 1984.
In January 1983, the wall map concept of the Geological Map of the World was revived at the UNESCO G.A. [10] and the 1st edition at 1:25M scale was published in 1990. For the first time, continental geology was shown, alongside ocean geology, on a single map. The 2nd edition (2000), benefited from new imaging techniques based on satellite altimetry combined with on-board multibeam echo sounder bathymetry, representing a remarkable technological breakthrough: the ocean floor took on a new aspect, clarifying the structure of the oceans on a smaller scale than before. In the 3rd edition (2010) (11), the morphology of the ocean floor was even finer, thanks to data freely available from the world's major geophysical databases. In addition, the considerable growth and greater reliability of geochronological techniques has provided better resolution of the main subdivisions of the Precambrian. Above all, the survey of major magmatic pulses on land and offshore (hot spots, flood basalts, oceanic plateaus, etc.) was taken into account, leading to a significant upgrade of the 2nd edition.
Geological and tectonic maps of the continents (at 1:5M scale) and structural maps of oceans (at 1:20M scale) were drawn by the regional (Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Southern and Eastern Asia, Australia-Oceania, Middle East, Northern Eurasia, Europe) and thematic (Tectonic-, Metallogenic-, Magmatic & Metamorphic-, Natural Hazards-, Sea-Floor-, Hydrogeologic- and Geophysical- maps) CGMW sub-commissions leading to a complete coverage of the Earth. [11]
The standard color codes for the geological timescale agreed by ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy of the IUGS) are determined by CGMW. [12]
In 2020 IUGS, launched the Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE), [13] a big science program dedicated to facilitate innovation in understanding the Earth's evolution and applications as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. In the frame of this new program, CGMW produced a 1:5M scale fully digital geological map of the continents and oceans of the world. CGMW remains in charge of the continuing upgrading of this digital map.
The Quaternary is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ago to the present. The Quaternary Period is divided into two epochs: the Pleistocene and the Holocene ; a proposed third epoch, the Anthropocene, was rejected in 2024 by IUGS, the governing body of the ICS.
The Richat Structure, or Guelb er Richât, is a prominent circular geological feature in the Adrar Plateau of the Sahara. It is located near Ouadane in the Adrar Region of Mauritania. In Hassaniya Arabic, rīšāt means feathers and it is also known locally in Arabic as tagense, referring to the circular opening of the leather pouch that is used to draw water from local wells.
Jules Pierre François Stanislaus Desnoyers was a French geologist and archaeologist.
Vasily Vasilyevich Dokuchaev was a Russian geologist and geographer who is credited with laying the foundations of soil science. The Ukrainian city of Dokuchaievsk is named after him.
Alcide Charles Victor Marie Dessalines d'Orbigny was a French naturalist who made major contributions in many areas, including zoology, palaeontology, geology, archaeology and anthropology.
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to international cooperation in the field of geology. As of 2023, it represents more than 1 million geoscientists around the world.
Émile Argand was a Swiss geologist.
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth to increase awareness of the importance of Earth sciences for the advancement of sustainable development. UNESCO was designated as the lead agency. The Year's activities spanned the three years 2006–2009.
The Barberton Greenstone Belt is situated on the eastern edge of the Kaapvaal Craton in South Africa. It is known for its gold mineralisation and for its komatiites, an unusual type of ultramafic volcanic rock named after the Komati River that flows through the belt. Some of the oldest exposed rocks on Earth are located in the Barberton Greenstone Belt of the Eswatini–Barberton areas and these contain some of the oldest traces of life on Earth, second only to the Isua Greenstone Belt of Western Greenland. The Makhonjwa Mountains make up 40% of the Baberton belt. It is named after the town Barberton, Mpumalanga.
The IAGC is affiliated with the International Union of Geological Sciences and has been one of the pre-eminent international geochemical organizations for over thirty-five years.
Geologic mapping of Georgia is the creation of geologic maps—special-purpose maps made to show geological features—of the State of Georgia in the United States. Rock units or geologic strata are shown by colors or symbols to indicate where they are exposed at the surface. Structural features such as faults and shear zones are also shown. Since the first national geological map, in 1809, there have been numerous maps which included the geology of Georgia. The first Georgia-specific geologic map was created in 1825. The most recent state-produced geologic map of Georgia, by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources is 1:500,000 scale, and was created in 1976 by the department's Georgia Geological Survey. It was generated from a base map produced by the United States Geological Survey. The state geologist and Director of the Geological Survey of Georgia was Sam M. Pickering, Jr. Since 1976, several geological maps of Georgia, featuring the state's five distinct geologic regions, have been produced by the federal government.
The International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment, formerly International Association for Engineering Geology, also known as IAEG, is an international scientific society which was founded in 1964. It is affiliated with the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and has 3,798 members and 59 national groups all over the world.
The Commission for the Management and Application of Geoscience Information (CGI), usually referred to by the unofficial "Commission for Geoscience Information" is subcommittee grade scientific organization that concerns itself with geological standard, information management and interoperability matters on a global scale.
Sospeter Mwijarubi Muhongo MP is a Tanzanian geologist and a nominated member of the Tanzanian Parliament.
The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) promotes ongoing research into the history of the earth sciences, particularly the history of geology. It has 20 Honorary Senior Members and 301 members (2018) worldwide.
François Doumergue was a French naturalist remembered for his scientific investigations within the department of Oran.
The Geological Survey of Finland is the geological survey of Finland. The organization was founded in 1885 when Emperor Alexander III decreed that the Geological Survey of Finland be established. GTK is a research institution governed by the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, operating in Finland and globally.
Boris Choubert or Schuberth was a Russian-French geologist. An adept of Wegener's theory, he was the first to precisely reconstruct the layout of the continental masses of Africa, America, Europe and Greenland prior to the fragmentation of Pangaea, thirty years before the article generally credited for this discovery.
Alphonse Péron was a French soldier and amateur naturalist. He used his spare time to pursue his interest in paleontology, and authored or coauthored several important works on the geology and paleontology of France and Algeria.
Jean-Pierre Lehman was a French paleontologist who specialized on tetrapods and actinopterygians. He followed early ideas comparative anatomy to study evolution through cladistic ideas and making use of biogeographical affinities.
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