Reviews: Atlas of the Union of South Africa

Summary

This paper reviews the Atlas of the Union of South Africa, a landmark cartographic compilation initiated in 1947 by the University of Cape Town's Department of Geography at the request of the Social and Economic Planning Council. The atlas was designed to fill a critical gap in the systematic survey of South Africa's natural resources and the economic activities dependent on them. Unlike a conventional topographic atlas, it comprises over 700 monochrome maps and diagrams derived from official statistical records published between 1910 and 1950, organized into seven thematic sections. The first two sections cover the physical environment—geology, mineral resources, soils, climate, and vegetation—featuring exceptionally clear colored maps at 1:4 million scale and a model black-and-white mineral resources map. The remaining sections address population, agriculture, industry, transport, and external trade, employing dot and symbol distributions on outline base maps with innovative detachable transparent overlays for reference features. Cartographically, the atlas is praised for its high-quality pastel-colored maps and legible designs, although production constraints—limited budgets, drafting capabilities, and the rigidity of cartographic methods—occasionally led to minor presentation issues. Despite these challenges, the atlas succeeds in providing a comprehensive and lucid portrayal of South Africa's resource base, their exploitation, and the nation's economic development. It is intended for a broad audience, not solely geographers, and serves as a notable repository of fundamental data on the country's resources, offering instructive insights for anyone interested in South Africa.