Reviews: National Atlas of Wales

This review evaluates the 1989 National Atlas of Wales in terms of thematic coverage, bilingual presentation, cartographic design, usability, and value. Produced as 43 loose, four-page sheets in Welsh and English, the atlas addresses nine broad fields, including the physical environment, political development, culture, economic history, agriculture, industry, communications, population, and regional planning. Its technical execution is judged nearly flawless, particularly its registration, linework, color, and consistently legible typography. However, the reviewer identifies weaknesses in thematic symbolization: overly complex choropleth schemes reduce visual discrimination, graduated-circle legends handle values inconsistently, and an experimental election map communicates patterns poorly. More seriously, the £250 price, oversized loose-sheet format, and detachable boundary overlays make storage and consultation difficult. The atlas is therefore a distinguished scholarly cartographic work whose accessibility and distribution are sharply constrained by cost and physical design.