Atlas of the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Summary

This paper provides a critical review of the *Atlas of the Georgian SSR* (1964), a major cartographic work containing over 220 maps and edited by the Vakhushti Institute of Geography. The study systematically examines the atlas’s thematic structure, cartographic design, and scientific accuracy, with particular attention to its physical-geographic section. Organized into seven groups—physical, geology‑geophysics‑geomorphology (31 maps), climate and agroclimate (over 60), hydrology (19), soils‑vegetation‑fauna (21), and landscape‑physiographic regionalization—the atlas is praised for its comprehensiveness and originality. The geological and climatic map series are especially strong, featuring innovative seismic, paleogeographic, speleological, and agroclimatic maps that vividly convey Georgia’s mountainous environment. Despite these merits, several shortcomings are identified. Nomenclatural inconsistencies appear: the Lesser Caucasus is omitted from the physical map; ranges are often labelled by Georgian rather than internationally recognized names (e.g., Meskhetian instead of Adzhar‑Imeretinsky). The term “Marine Plateau” is applied to a folded low‑mountain area, contradicting established geomorphological usage. Climate and soil maps fail to delineate the dry subtropical zone in eastern Georgia, misclassifying these areas. Temporal inconsistencies between the maps of Quaternary deposits and relief age are also noted. These critiques do not detract from the atlas’s overall excellence. It is judged superior to other Soviet‑era republican atlases in thematic breadth and cartographic finesse, and it remains a major contribution to geographical science and regional planning.