2005 Africa, the map of the human footprint

Shaping the earth to serve human needs is a cornerstone of civilization. Over the past century, humanity's footprint on the planet has expanded faster than at any other time in history. To illustrate the relationship between humans and Earth, scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Earth Institute at Columbia University created the Human Footprint Map. Published in September 2005, it is part of a two-map set with "Africa: A Storied Landscape."