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Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 16:56:44 -0600
From: Kent Lee <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Lhasa-Sikkim routes
Sender: Kent Lee <[log in to unmask]>


Dear Ilene, Alice:

Interesting queries from your patrons.

Here are the modern topo map options to cover the route from Lhasa to
Sikkim, in order of cheapest to most expensive (please note that all
Indian and Chinese maps which would pertain to this area are classified and commercially unobtainable):

1. 1:500k US (TPC): 4 sheets required

2. 1:500k Russian: 3 sheets required

3. 1:250k US (JOG): 7 sheets required, at most two could be sourced
because of current restrictions. However some libraries may have old
AMS (US Army) 1:250k maps from the 1940s or 1950s available.

4. 1:200k Russian: 13 sheets or so.

The Russian 200k maps are the best commercially-available cartographic
technical option in this part of the world, unless one moves to
satellite imagery (many commercial options) or declassified Cold-War aerial photography (from the USGS EROS Center).  I think I can say this unequivocally.

For older maps made by British or other explorers prior to WWII, I am
pretty ignorant. I would be suprised if complete coverage existed along
the route. Probably your best sources would be the British Library or
LC.  The National Library of China almost certainly would have something interesting here, as well.

Good luck, and let us know if we can be of assistance. We already have
much of the Russian material in digital vector form.

Best,

Kent





Kent D. Lee
President/CEO

East View Cartographic, Inc.
3020 Harbor Lane N.
Minneapolis, MN 55447  USA

Tel: 763-550-0961
Fax: 763-559-2931
Email: [log in to unmask]
URL:  www.eastview.com, www.cartographic.com
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