Some Recent Regional Atlases: A Review

Summary

This article reviews sixteen significant general regional and topical regional atlases published between approximately 1940 and 1950, representing eleven countries and diverse subjects such as viticulture, textiles, peat bogs, hydroelectric power, regional planning, physical geography, and resource distribution. Drawing on Wright and Platt's classification, the review distinguishes these specialized works from general world atlases, emphasizing their role as essential tools for serious research. The atlases are examined individually with attention to sponsorship, cartographic design, scale, textual content, and thematic coverage. Notable examples include the French Atlas de la France vinicole and Atlas hydroélectrique de France, the highly regarded Atlas of Denmark with its innovative block diagrams and bilingual presentation, the loose-leaf Atlas général du Congo, and resource-oriented works such as Bengal in Maps and the Tasmanian regional planning atlas. The review finds that these atlases not only document resource inventories and planning priorities but also reflect national and colonial interests of the post-war era. Many were produced through cooperative efforts among government agencies, academic institutions, and private sponsors. Cartographic quality varies, with several attaining high standards. The collection as a whole illustrates the vitality of regional atlas production and offers valuable comparative insights into mid-twentieth-century geographic knowledge and mapping techniques.