Provincial Map of the People's Republic of China
中华人民共和国分省地图
China · 中华人民共和国国家测绘总局 · 1969
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The National Physical Atlas of China
Liao, Ke · 2001
The National Physical Atlas of China (NPAC), published in 1999, is a large-format comprehensive scientific reference atlas representing a landmark achievement in Chinese thematic cartography. This paper introduces the atlas’s compilation background, design philosophy, main innovations, and scientific significance. The NPAC systematically integrates century-long geo-science, biological, and environmental data—particularly those accumulated since the founding of the People’s Republic of China—and presents them through 540 maps, 115 charts and photos, and nearly 300,000 words of explanatory text, organized into five sections (preface maps, physical environment, natural resources, natural disasters, natural utilization and reservation) and 18 thematic groups. For the first time in China, a large comprehensive national atlas was produced entirely through digital computer-aided design, compilation, and automatic plate-making, marking a revolutionary shift from conventional cartography. The atlas embodies five key innovations: (1) spatial and temporal extension and updating of basic scientific data; (2) a strong focus on sustainable development, highlighting resources, disasters, and nature conservation; (3) extensive mapping of plant and animal distributions to reflect biodiversity; (4) inclusion of new topics from emerging disciplines to reveal environmental formation and evolution; and (5) a full digital workflow. Internationally, the NPAC is recognized as the first standalone national physical atlas in the world with such broad scientific scope and detailed coverage, earning acclaim from the International Cartographic Association as a model for other nations. The atlas provides a critical scientific basis for resource management, ecological protection, disaster mitigation, and sustainable development planning in China, and contributes foundational data to the construction of a digital Earth. Ongoing work aims to develop an electronic version with dynamic and three-dimensional visualization and analytical functions, further extending its societal benefits.
Introduction to the National Atlas of China
Unknown · 1984
This chapter provides a comprehensive survey of major Chinese atlases produced since the mid-20th century, alongside a brief introduction to the Soviet world atlas. The research aims to document the development, content, and scientific value of these cartographic works. Using descriptive analysis, the chapter examines atlas design, map scales, projections, thematic coverage, and compilation methods. Key findings highlight several landmark publications: the ambitious National Geographic Atlas of China (initiated in 1956, with only the Natural Atlas volume fully published in 1965, reaching international standards), provincial atlases featuring advanced conic projections and hypsometric tints, the eight‑volume Chinese Historical Atlas (1974) based on Yang Shoujing’s earlier work, and a wide array of thematic atlases covering geology, climate, hydrology, agriculture, and remote sensing. Notable examples include the Jiangsu Provincial Agricultural Atlas, which employed graded proportional symbols to represent agricultural statistics, and the innovative people’s commune atlases that integrated field surveys with local knowledge. The chapter also references the Soviet Bol’shoy Sovetskiy Atlas Mira as a comparative benchmark. The results demonstrate that Chinese atlases have evolved into sophisticated reference tools that systematically present physical, economic, and historical information. They serve not only as vital resources for national planning, resource management, and scientific research but also as instruments for public education and international academic exchange. The survey concludes that these atlases reflect the accumulation of multidisciplinary scientific achievements and the continuous improvement of cartographic techniques in China.
Inheriting and Developing, Innovating by Weeding through the Old: Celebrating the Publication of the National General Atlas of the People's Republic of China
Unknown · 1997
This paper commemorates the official publication of the *National General Atlas of the People's Republic of China* in 1995, a landmark achievement in Chinese cartography representing the culmination of decades of collective effort. Compiled under the guidance of senior experts including Zeng Shiying and editor-in-chief Yu Cang, and involving over one hundred cartographers from institutions like the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping, the atlas serves as a comprehensive, authoritative geographic reference. The purpose of the atlas is to systematically display China's geographical features—including topography, hydrography, settlements, transportation, administrative divisions, and land cover—to support national development, territorial planning, and geoscientific research. Methodologically, the compilation leveraged the latest 1:1,000,000 topographic maps, satellite imagery, and verified geographical name databases to ensure reliability, precision, and updated content extending to 1991. The atlas is praised for its systematic structure, integrating national thematic maps, regional overviews, provincial maps, typical area enlargements, and urban land-use maps, including innovative sea-area charts that break the traditional land-centric focus. Key innovations in cartographic design include the use of combined hypsometric tinting principles across China's three topographic tiers, the application of colored hill shading for regional maps, and a unique violet hue scheme for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, enhancing the representation of complex terrain. The conclusion affirms that this rigorously compiled, scientifically innovative atlas achieves international advanced standards, expertly balancing scientific accuracy, practical utility, and artistic quality. It is positioned as an indispensable tool for spatial cognition, economic construction, national defense, and international academic exchange, elevating China's cartographic discipline to a new level of excellence.
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