The atlas of Britain -- A review

Summary

This review by Arthur H. Robinson assesses the Atlas of Britain and Northern Ireland (1963), a comprehensive thematic atlas rather than a government-produced national atlas. The review outlines the atlas’s broad topical coverage—physical geography, agriculture, industry, demography, communications, and regional reference maps—at multiple scales, with a gazetteer and transparent national grid overlay. Robinson commends the atlas for its impressive data compilation, thoughtful organization, and imaginative cartographic designs. He identifies, however, a notable tension between the desire to present only observed scientific facts and the need for effective graphic interpretation. The non-isarithmic climatic maps, which avoid interpolated isolines, are singled out as less effective for revealing geographic patterns. He also criticizes insufficient base data on many maps, inconsistent use of terrain-model halftones, illegible small lettering on coloured backgrounds, and range-graded symbols whose visual sizes distort actual magnitudes. Some insets are overly bright, and the 1:500,000 regional maps’ colouring does not clearly indicate relief. Conclusively, Robinson considers the atlas an outstanding compendium of information and a major cartographic achievement, whose faults are minor relative to its scope and execution. He suggests that Britain’s decision not to compete with this work through an official national atlas is fortunate, since a government agency would likely have produced a less effective volume. The review serves as both a detailed cartographic critique and a recognition of the atlas’s lasting value.