mapmaking and publishing company of the United Kingdom, located in Edinburgh and specializing in the use of hypsometric (layer) colouring in relief maps. The company was established in 1826 by John Bartholomew. It originally published such diverse items as checkbooks, election literature, and maps. In 1856 his son John George Bartholomew (1831–93), the well-known Scottish cartographer, assumed control of the management, and the company developed into a larger, more prosperous business and acquired its own printing press (1860). Since 1890 production has been devoted mainly to cartographical publications. The company's much acclaimed Environmental Map Programme for Education, using satellite photography to study the Earth's environment and physical features, was launched in 1978. Some of the company's well-known publications are the World Travel Map Series, World Atlas, Times World Wall Map, National Map Series, and City Plans Series.