Indonesia印度尼西亚
Curatorial Note
AI-curated draftThe national atlas tradition of Indonesia traces its roots to the colonial era, when the Dutch East Indies were mapped as part of the Netherlands' overseas territories. The earliest atlas in this collection, the 1938 'Atlas of Tropical Netherlands,' was a joint production of the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society and the Topographical Service of the Netherlands Indies. It comprised 31 sheets covering the Dutch East and West Indies, combining accurate topographic maps with thematic data, and was praised by contemporaries for its scientific rigor. After independence, Indonesia continued this cartographic legacy, publishing a series of national atlases from 2008 to 2015. These four volumes systematically cover the physical environment, natural resources, historical and demographic themes, and socio-economic conditions, reflecting a comprehensive approach to national mapping. The atlases serve as authoritative references for planning, education, and cultural identity, bridging the colonial past and the modern nation-state. Their enduring value lies in their role as both scientific documents and symbols of national unity, showcasing Indonesia's geographical diversity and developmental trajectory.
The Shelves
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Article1938The newly published atlas of the tropical Netherlands
J. L. H. Luymes
This article describes the newly published Atlas of the Tropical Netherlands, produced by the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society in collaboration with the Topographical Service of the Netherlands East Indies. After two earlier attempts failed because of the war and economic crisis, the atlas realizes a long-standing ambition. It aims to serve both practical use and scientific survey, representing current knowledge of physical and human geography through cartography. The atlas contains general orientation maps of global shipping, air, telegraph and radio routes; chorographic maps of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, the Lesser Sunda Islands, the Moluccas, Netherlands New Guinea, Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles, with varying scales and inset town plans. Orography is shown by hypsometric tints and isohypses, and the reliability of contours is indicated. The scientific section includes maps of seas and morphology, volcanoes and landscapes, meteorology, biogeography, geophysics, geology and minerals, population, education, languages, agriculture, plantations, irrigation, land use, and historical geography. Data were contributed by specialists; sources and dates of compilation are listed. Although the depression delayed production, the maps were updated where possible. The article concludes that the atlas provides a comprehensive overview and will enrich knowledge of the Netherlands' overseas territories.
- Article1939Geographical Reviews: Atlas of the Netherlands Indies
Karl J. Pelzer
This review of the Atlas of the Netherlands Indies (1938) highlights that it was jointly produced by the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society and the Topographical Service of the Netherlands Indies. The atlas comprises 31 plates with large and small maps covering the Malay Archipelago, including large-scale relief maps of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Moluccas, and Dutch New Guinea, as well as thematic maps on geology, climate, flora, fauna, population, languages, education, economy, and colonial history. The reviewer praises the atlas's comprehensiveness and readability but criticizes inconsistent color schemes, shading that obscures elevations, and the absence of a map of European plantations in Java.
- Article1939Besprechungen: Atlas van Tropisch Nederland
H. Lehmann
This review article contains two critiques. The first praises the Atlas of Tropical Netherlands, which comprises 31 sheets of the Dutch East and West Indies. Combining accurate topographic maps with thematic maps of volcanoes, geology, vegetation, and economic activity, and supplied with multilingual explanations, it constitutes a valuable scientific reference. The second review discusses James Frazer's The Native Races of Africa and Madagascar, but criticizes it as a mere mosaic of excerpts from travel literature that lacks systematic synthesis and critical analysis. The reviewer also rejects Frazer's linear conception of cultural evolution from savagery to civilization, arguing that it neglects the diversity and complexity of social organization in non-Western cultures.
From the Physical Collection
Photographs are being prepared for this hall.