The atlas of the Netherlands

Summary

This article outlines the background, organizational structure, design methods, and content characteristics of the Atlas of the Netherlands. The national atlas project began in 1932, was interrupted by economic crisis and war, and was formally established as a foundation in 1951, with publication commencing after government funding was secured in 1959. The atlas adopts a loose-leaf format with a standard scale of 1:600,000, coordinated by a central cartographic bureau working with 17 subcommittees and approximately 80 experts. Its content covers physical geography, socio-economics, and planning themes, with English translations of annotations. The first edition received over 6,500 subscriptions, far exceeding expectations, reflecting strong public interest in high-quality cartographic works.