Besprechungen: National Atlases

Summary

This review examines the first four volumes of Cartographica: Monographs on Cartography, a Canadian series supplementing The Canadian Cartographer. The volumes address seventeenth-century maps of Newfoundland, the influence of map users on cartographic design, Russian maps and atlases as historical sources, and the history and standardization of national atlases. Drawing on historical map examples, symposium papers, methodological studies, and translated scholarship, they demonstrate the expansion of geographical knowledge, the importance of adapting maps to users with differing educational and professional backgrounds, and the value of cartographic materials as historical evidence. Particular praise is given to the symposium volume for its user-oriented research and to the national-atlas handbook for its enduring guidance on mathematical foundations, geographic content, and design. Overall, the series is judged a valuable contribution to Canadian cartography with substantial international relevance.