Designed to serve as a complement to the Unesco Technical Papers in Marine Science, this report concentrates on theoretical and practical problems of geological mapping of the sea floor. An introduction is given to geological mapping procedures at continental margins as well as some practical recommendations taking as an example the African region which is among the least studied regions of the world. Chapter contents include: (1) "Sedimentation Conditions near the Shores of Africa"; (2) "Nomenclature and Classification of Sediments"; (3) "Mapping Bottom Sediments"; (4) "Distribution and Composition of Bottom Sediments near the Shore of West and Central Africa"; and (5) "Modern and Ancient Interplay between the Environment and Sediments." It is suggested that the principles identified in this report for studying and mapping sediments in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean can be applied to other regions such as the Mediterranean and the western part of the Indian Oceans. Bibliographic notes are provided, and the abstract is presented in five languages in addition to English. (ML)