Book reviews: Atlas of the Netherlands

Summary

This review assesses the emerging Atlas van Nederland, a national atlas commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education and issued in installments from 1965. After tracing the project from its initial planning in 1932 through governmental approval in 1959, it outlines an ambitious program of 109 sheets organized into 17 geographical divisions; 57 sheets had appeared by the end of 1966, mostly at a scale of 1:600,000. The review examines published maps covering topography, administrative divisions, cartographic history, mineral resources, soils, climate, vegetation, hydrology, land reclamation, settlement, population structure, commuting, urbanization, and public utilities. Particular praise is given to the completed soil section, whose detailed classification, sophisticated color scheme, and printing represent an outstanding cartographic achievement, although its simplified topographic base restricts precise localization. Population maps are commended for combining statistical representation with attention to settlement patterns, while groundwater maps appropriately discuss limitations of reliability and temporal variation. Overall, the atlas is judged to be geographically coherent, scientifically rigorous, and technically exceptional, especially in the reproduction and printing undertaken by the Topographic Service in Delft. Its bilingual explanatory texts and loose-leaf format facilitate continued expansion, though the bulky binder and inconsistent north–south orientation reduce usability. The reviewer anticipates later sections on economic activities and spatial planning, regarding the atlas as a major contribution to Dutch national cartography with substantial international value.