Mapping and evaluation of coastal areas for planning

A brief review of concepts about analysis and assessment of the earth's surface for planning is presented. The relationships between planning levels, scales and types of maps, as well as the methodological approaches in the preparation of maps for planning are discussed. The application of those concepts to mapping and evaluation of coastal areas for different planning problems at various scales, is illustrated by means of a series of examples from different parts of the world. It is concluded that existing mapping and assessment techniques constitute flexible instruments for the description, diagnosis and zoning of coastal areas for very diverse planning problems.