Atlas of Morocco, Explanatory notes, Plate no. 44 b: Railways, freight traffic
Atlas du Maroc, Notices explicatives, Planche n° 44 b : Chemins de fer, trafic marchandises
Morocco · Comité de Géographie du Maroc · 1955
Related Reviews & Articles
Reviews: Atlas of Morocco
Kormoss, I. B. F. · 1957
This paper comprises a biographical tribute to the historian of cartography Leo Bagrow (1881–1957?) and critical reviews of three contemporary atlases. The first section surveys Bagrow’s scholarly output, from his early bibliographic catalogues of 16th‑century printed maps and his studies of Ptolemy’s Geography to the posthumous publication of his comprehensive *History of Cartography*. It highlights his rigorous methodology: his insistence on consulting original sources, his unerring grasp of cartobibliographical detail, and his pioneering use of collotype facsimiles in the series *Anecdota Cartographica*. The discussion also notes the linguistic obstacle that forced Bagrow to rely on translators, which occasionally affected the final expression of his ideas, and records his deep concern for the continuation of the journal *Imago Mundi*. The second part offers detailed evaluations of the *Atlas du Maroc* (a thematic national atlas covering livestock, railways, and other economic topics), the *Atlas of Resources of British Columbia* (Canada’s first regional planning atlas, combining physical, human, and resource maps with explanatory texts), and the *Edinburgh World Atlas* (an academic reference atlas employing conventional layer coloring for relief). The reviews praise the Maroc atlas for its careful cartographic execution and thematic breadth, note the British Columbia atlas as a commendable model for future regional atlases, and critique the Edinburgh atlas for occasional ambiguous color choices in depression areas. Collectively, the paper affirms Bagrow’s lasting influence on map history while providing a snapshot of mid‑20th‑century atlas production and cartographic design standards.
Geographical Literature: Atlas of Morocco
Waldbaur, H. · 1956
The first four plates of a new national atlas of Morocco have been published. The large format (56 × 47 cm) allows scales of 1:2,000,000 for full-page maps and 1:4,000,000 for layouts with four maps per sheet. Full-page maps are printed with hypsometric tints in four delicate brownish tones, whereas the multi-map sheets appear on a white background. Plate 40a depicts the distribution of sheep and goats using graduated red and green circles in three size classes, complemented by a diagram of population variations since 1940 and an inset map of sheep breeds. Plate 40b comprises four separate maps presenting cattle and pigs, dromedaries, horses, and mules and donkeys. Plate 44a shows railway lines classified by track gauge and motive power, passenger traffic at major stations through sector diagrams, and city plans with environs maps of important localities. Plate 44b visualizes total freight traffic as well as flows of mining and agricultural products in four maps. The atlas is accompanied by a series of “Études et Documents” (initially providing transliteration rules for Arabic and Berber names) and an explanatory booklet for each sheet containing text maps and statistical tables. This ambitious cartographic undertaking is commended with best wishes for a smooth continuation and successful completion.
An atlas of Morocco
Dresch, Jean · 1956
This paper reports on recent advances in the scientific mapping of Morocco and presents provisional results of the 1954 Algerian population census. Regarding Morocco, the author describes the rapid progress in cartography, including revisions of reconnaissance maps and aerial photographic coverage, alongside expanding research in geology, geophysics, geomorphology, oceanography, hydrology, biogeography, and human geography. In 1951, a Comité de l’Atlas du Maroc was established to produce a comprehensive national atlas modelled on the Atlas de France, with maps at 1:2,000,000 or 1:1,000,000 accompanied by explanatory booklets. The first thematic map sheets were published in 1955, covering livestock and railways. The sheep and goat map, based on 1941–1948 averages, shows concentration in humid Atlantic regions with goats dominant in dry woodlands. The multispecies map of cattle, pigs, camels, and equids reveals cattle and pigs predominating along the northern coast and western plains, camels in lowland Doukkala, and horses absent from the arid south. Railway maps document infrastructure types, average speeds, passenger and freight traffic, with cartons on mineral and agricultural commodities. The author notes the geographical—rather than technical—orientation, while suggesting additions such as pasture and transhumance maps. The atlas is deemed promising, with future editions planned for forests, diseases, precipitation, mineral deposits, vertebrate palaeontology, and European colonisation. The second part provides provisional data from the Algerian census of 31 October 1954: the total present population was 9,370,000, an increase from 8,681,785 in 1948. The European population numbered 1,052,400, and the Jewish population, counted with non-Muslims since 1872, was estimated at 130,000.
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