General geography and cartography. Atlas of Finland

Summary

This article reviews the Atlas of Finland, published in 1899 by the Geographical Society of Finland after ten years of work. The atlas, comprising forty maps, represents a milestone in Finnish geographical research. The author analyzes several key maps: glacial geomorphology maps revealing the southeastward movement of Quaternary ice sheets and the distribution of terminal moraines; detailed meteorological maps showing the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature, precipitation, and snow cover; vegetation maps delineating tree lines; and population statistics covering the period 1750-1890, including growth, sex ratios, urban-rural distribution, and linguistic composition. The author particularly notes that despite the Russian government's imposition of Russian, Finnish and Swedish remained the languages of the vast majority. The article concludes by acknowledging Finland's material progress in industry, transportation, and trade, expressing admiration for these achievements under political oppression.