Geographical Reviews: The National Atlas of Canada

Summary

This review assesses the fourth edition of the National Atlas of Canada (1973), a collaborative publication by the Canadian government and a private firm, organized into four sections: physical, historical, social/cultural, and economic geography. While praising the atlas's cartographic excellence, the author criticizes the commercial decision to reduce its size and map scales (from 1:10,000,000 to 1:15,000,000), which diminished the effectiveness of many maps. The physical section's new themes (e.g., geology, glaciation, permafrost) and the improved historical section are welcomed. However, the social analysis is severely faulted for failing to utilize census data on ethnic groups, socio-economic levels, and especially for omitting detailed maps of major cities, a regression from the previous edition. In contrast, the economic section offers comprehensive coverage and innovative maps on national accounts, income, and labor. The review concludes that while the atlas demonstrates superb cartographic skill, it misses a crucial opportunity in social and urban geography.