The Atlas of Canada

Summary

This review examines the Atlas of Canada, compiled by geographer James White of the Department of the Interior, which graphically represents the results of the 1904 Canadian census. Far more than a statistical appendix, the atlas offers a comprehensive geographical synthesis of the Dominion through synoptic tables, 46 map plates, and statistical diagrams. The maps adopt three consistent scales and apply uniform shading gradients across all provinces, deliberately facilitating regional comparisons and emphasizing the nation’s interconnectedness. The review details the thematic plates covering physical features (relief, geology, minerals, forests, tree-species limits), infrastructure (telegraphs, telephones, railways, canals, sailing routes), climate (isotherms, precipitation, snowfall, sunshine), population (density, ethnic origins, aboriginal groups), boundaries, explorer routes, and urban plans. Notable cartographic choices include representing railway service areas by company territory rather than line traces and treating both long-settled and newly occupied regions with equal cartographic detail. The reviewer highlights the atlas’s ability to reveal spatial relationships and stimulate hypotheses about environmental and human interdependencies. The work is praised as a successful governmental initiative that significantly enhances public and scientific knowledge of Canada. In conclusion, the Atlas of Canada is judged a truly geographical achievement, effectively merging census data with rigorous distributional analysis.