Publication Notes: National Atlas of Cuba

Summary

This paper describes the creation and content of the National Atlas of Cuba, a collaborative project between the Cuban Institute of Geography and the Soviet Institute of Geography under their respective Academies of Sciences. The atlas project was initiated in April 1965 by the Institute of Geography in Havana under the direction of chief editor Antonio Núñez Jimenez, also president of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. The Cuban institute coordinated research efforts across 40 participating institutions, while Soviet cartographers served as consultants for editorial and compilation work. The resulting volume spans 144 pages, featuring 105 color maps, 23 pages of explanatory text, and a seven-page index of geographical names. The maps are categorized into general, physical, agricultural, industrial, cultural, historical, and population themes, with approximately half devoted to the natural features of the Cuban archipelago. A notable emphasis throughout the atlas is the comparison of pre- and post-revolutionary statistical data. The publication, priced at about $15, represents a significant cartographic synthesis. An English translation was issued by the U.S. Joint Publications Research Service as *Translations on Latin America, No. 525* (JPRS 53167), making the work accessible to a broader audience. This atlas stands as an important resource for geographical, historical, and socio-economic analysis of Cuba.