Book Review and Introduction: The Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland

Summary

This review introduces The Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland, published by Oxford University Press in 1963. The atlas was first proposed in 1938, interrupted by the war, and revived in 1944; in 1952 the Oxford University Press assumed editorial and financial responsibility, and after 11 years of work the atlas was completed. It contains 200 pages of colored maps, mostly at 1:2,000,000, using a transverse Mercator projection. A notable feature is the regional comparative maps covering seven regions at 1:1,000,000, each designed as four facing pages on physiography, industry, and transport. Small-scale index maps at 1:500,000 are also included. The reviewer praises the effective use of 8–10 colors, the innovative sector/radius symbols, and the transparent overlay grid. Detailed evaluations are given for maps of relief, geology, climate, vegetation, agriculture, industry, population, and transportation, with special appreciation for the world map of British merchant shipping activity (June 1, 1960). The review concludes by urging Japan to produce its own national atlas. A brief note follows introducing the bibliography of geographical studies on mainland China by Japanese scholars, compiled by Mutsuyoshi Hōyū.