National Atlas of Australia

Summary

This paper reviews the National Atlas of Australia, specifically the “Atlas of Australian Resources”, compiled between 1951 and 1960 under the auspices of the Ministry of National Development. The atlas was conceived in 1948 as a practical tool for economic development, originally planned with 50 sheets but finally reduced to 30. The author describes the compilation process, emphasizing the scarcity of base cartographic materials and the consequent need for additional field surveys and collection of unpublished data. The atlas covers both physical and human/economic geography: relief, geology, mineral resources, climate, water resources, land use, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, population, and other themes. The article offers a detailed critical analysis of individual maps. For instance, the geological map incorporates new stratigraphic data and reveals previously unknown geology of interior regions; the climate maps use an original circular layout with monthly temperature and precipitation maps arranged around a central map; the mineral map uses symbol colors and sizes to represent genesis and economic significance. However, many maps suffer from insufficient generalization, inappropriate cartographic design, and rapid obsolescence. Because the publication stretched over ten years, some maps, such as soil and transport maps, were already outdated when issued. The author also notes the absence of maps dealing with droughts, floods, soil erosion, animal diseases, ethnic composition, and other important subjects, as well as the lack of hypsometric, tectonic, and geomorphological maps and a name index. Despite these shortcomings, the paper praises the atlas for its practical orientation and its contribution to the geographical knowledge of Australia, considering it a valuable aid for studying the country’s physical and economic geography and resource problems. The article concludes by mentioning the decision taken in 1961 to prepare a second edition with improved layout and scales.