Reviews in brief: The national atlas of Malawi

Summary

This review evaluates the National Atlas of Malawi, a looseleaf reference published in 1984 by the National Atlas Coordination Committee. The purpose is to describe the atlas's structure, cartographic content, and thematic contributions, and to assess its utility as a planning and educational tool. The method consists of a systematic examination of the atlas’s three sections: introductory locational maps and topographic series, a brief historical segment, and an extensive thematic section with 40 pages of maps grouped under natural environment, land resources, agriculture, industry, and social statistics. Accompanying elements include a gazetteer of over 4,500 place names and a transparent population overlay for cross-referencing. Key findings reveal that the atlas integrates METEOSAT imagery, topographic maps from 1:1,000,000 to 1:2,500 scales, and thematic maps based on post-1980 statistical data. Notable multivariate analyses assess environmental pressures and cultivation density. Thematic coverage encompasses geology, climate, soils, agricultural potential, infrastructure, and social services, with historical trend charts. A concluding emphasis on the Rural Growth Centres and Rural Piped Water Projects underscores the development-oriented focus. Minor critiques concern map organization and symbol scaling in trade flow representation. The conclusion is that the atlas successfully serves as a comprehensive, updatable reference for academics, government, and libraries, with a discounted school edition broadening its accessibility. The review confirms that the atlas meets its intended goals and constitutes a valuable national development document.