Atlas of Finland

Atlas of Finland

Bengt Rystedt · 2015

This article examines the historical evolution of two cartographic projects. The Atlas of Finland, the world's first national atlas, went through six editions from 1899 to 2002, each reflecting contemporary political, scientific, and social contexts: early editions carried nationalist overtones, while later ones became more comprehensive and academically rigorous, culminating in a centenary edition. The Automobile Association (AA) of the United Kingdom, founded in 1905, initially collaborated with Bartholomew before producing its own maps and atlases and adopting digital methods by the 1990s. This account illustrates technological progress and the changing roles of national and commercial cartography.