Robin A. Butlin is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Leeds. His previous publications include Geography and Imperialism, 1820–1940 (co-edited with M. Bell and M. Heffernan, 1995), Historical Geography: Through the Gates of Space and Time (1993), and, co-edited with R. A. Dodgshon, An Historical Geography of England and Wales (2nd edition 1990), and An Historical Geography of Europe (1998).

'Professor Butlin's new book is ambitious in scope and rich in historical and geographical detail. It showcases for a wide audience historical and cultural geographies of late 19th and 20th Century imperialism and colonialism that have afforded new insights into postcolonial, gender and indigenous perspectives. With its encyclopaedic coverage of the spatial aspects of European empires and colonies and its novel approach to the historiographical basis of writing about imperialism and colonialism, the book is a welcome addition to scholarship on European High Imperialism.' Cheryl McEwan, Durham University

• 1. Geography, imperialism and colonialism: concepts and frameworks; 2. Chronologies, spaces and places; 3. Numbers and movements of people; 4. Patterns and shadows on the land; 5. Empire, exploration and geographical knowledge; 6. Geographical societies and imperialism; 7. The mapping of empires and colonies; 8. Geographies of the 'Civilizing Mission'; 9. Environmental interactions; 10. The arteries of empire: transport and communications; 11. Towns and cities; 12. Economic geographies of empire and colony; 13. The endings of empire: decolonization; 14. Conclusion.

Robin A. Butlin is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Leeds. His previous publications include Geography and Imperialism, 1820–1940 (co-edited with M. Bell and M. Heffernan, 1995), Historical Geography: Through the Gates of Space and Time (1993), and, co-edited with R. A. Dodgshon, An Historical Geography of England and Wales (2nd edition 1990), and An Historical Geography of Europe (1998).

'Professor Butlin's new book is ambitious in scope and rich in historical and geographical detail. It showcases for a wide audience historical and cultural geographies of late 19th and 20th Century imperialism and colonialism that have afforded new insights into postcolonial, gender and indigenous perspectives. With its encyclopaedic coverage of the spatial aspects of European empires and colonies and its novel approach to the historiographical basis of writing about imperialism and colonialism, the book is a welcome addition to scholarship on European High Imperialism.' Cheryl McEwan, Durham University

• 1. Geography, imperialism and colonialism: concepts and frameworks; 2. Chronologies, spaces and places; 3. Numbers and movements of people; 4. Patterns and shadows on the land; 5. Empire, exploration and geographical knowledge; 6. Geographical societies and imperialism; 7. The mapping of empires and colonies; 8. Geographies of the 'Civilizing Mission'; 9. Environmental interactions; 10. The arteries of empire: transport and communications; 11. Towns and cities; 12. Economic geographies of empire and colony; 13. The endings of empire: decolonization; 14. Conclusion.

Robin A. Butlin is Emeritus Professor of Geography at the University of Leeds. His previous publications include Geography and Imperialism, 1820–1940 (co-edited with M. Bell and M. Heffernan, 1995), Historical Geography: Through the Gates of Space and Time (1993), and, co-edited with R. A. Dodgshon, An Historical Geography of England and Wales (2nd edition 1990), and An Historical Geography of Europe (1998).

'Professor Butlin's new book is ambitious in scope and rich in historical and geographical detail. It showcases for a wide audience historical and cultural geographies of late 19th and 20th Century imperialism and colonialism that have afforded new insights into postcolonial, gender and indigenous perspectives. With its encyclopaedic coverage of the spatial aspects of European empires and colonies and its novel approach to the historiographical basis of writing about imperialism and colonialism, the book is a welcome addition to scholarship on European High Imperialism.' Cheryl McEwan, Durham University

• 1. Geography, imperialism and colonialism: concepts and frameworks; 2. Chronologies, spaces and places; 3. Numbers and movements of people; 4. Patterns and shadows on the land; 5. Empire, exploration and geographical knowledge; 6. Geographical societies and imperialism; 7. The mapping of empires and colonies; 8. Geographies of the 'Civilizing Mission'; 9. Environmental interactions; 10. The arteries of empire: transport and communications; 11. Towns and cities; 12. Economic geographies of empire and colony; 13. The endings of empire: decolonization; 14. Conclusion.