Participatory cartography is a mapping process that seeks to make visible the association between land and local communities using the commonly understood and recognized language of cartography.[1]​.

Participatory Cartography is very old, it traces its origins to ancient travelers, geographers and explorers who were guided by the knowledge and advice of the native population to create topographic maps and navigation routes.

From this context comes the concept of participatory mapping, a tool that combines local knowledge with geographic information and technology to create greater understanding of the relationships between humans and the environment. The most distinctive feature of this methodology is the direct participation of local people in the entire cartographic process – in the planning, design phases and the final product that will reflect the collective experience of the group that produced it.[2]​.

Of all the participatory development methods that have been adopted, adapted and applied in a development context

It is participatory mapping that has spread the most.[3]​ The number of participatory mapping initiatives, which are often mentioned using different terms, such as

participatory cartography, indigenous cartography, countercartography and community cartography.

Although there are differences between the initiatives in terms of methods, applications and users, the theme that links them

To all of them is that the mapping process is carried out by a group of non-specialists who associate with each other for an interest that they all share. For the sake of simplicity, these different types of cartography will be generically referred to as participatory cartography in this report.