Atlas of the BSSR - a new major cartographic work

Summary

This article presents a systematic introduction to the Atlas of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (Atlas BSSR), published in 1958 by the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR and the Main Administration of Geodesy and Cartography of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. As the first Soviet national comprehensive atlas of a Union republic, it was designed to serve as a reference work reflecting the republic’s nature, population, economy, culture, history, and politico-administrative structure. The author describes the compilation process: the Minsk Cartographic Factory completed the atlas in one and a half years in close cooperation with Belarusian scientists, while an editorial board provided overall scientific editing. The atlas, issued in Russian and Belarusian, contains about 140 pages of maps at various scales. Its sections cover physical geography, geology and mineral resources, soils and vegetation, industry, agriculture, culture and public health, as well as administrative, physical, and economic maps of each region and historical maps. Statistical tables and diagrams supplement the maps, highlighting the major economic and social transformations in Belarus over the 40 years of Soviet power. The article concludes that the atlas is a major scientific achievement of Soviet cartography and an important reference and educational tool.