Atlas of Tropical Netherlands

Geographical Reviews: Atlas of the Netherlands Indies

Pelzer, Karl J. · 1939

This paper presents critical reviews of two geographical publications from 1938. The first review examines the *Atlas van Tropisch Nederland*, a collaborative effort of the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society and the Topographical Service of the Netherlands Indies. The atlas comprises 31 double plates with numerous large- and small-scale thematic maps in full color, covering the Malay Archipelago and Dutch New Guinea. The reviewer praises the overall cartographic quality and the wealth of information on physiography, geology, climate, population, and economy, but offers minor criticisms regarding inconsistent and visually jarring hypsometric color schemes on certain relief maps, and the omission of a map showing European plantation distribution in Java. The second review assesses *The Baltic States: A Survey of the Political and Economic Structure and the Foreign Relations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania*, prepared by the Royal Institute of International Affairs. This volume is commended for its succinct, unbiased account of the political and economic history of the Baltic states. The review highlights the central geographical argument that the region’s locational characteristic—forming a buffer zone between Germany and the Soviet Union—is of outstanding significance in shaping its past and future. Both reviews offer concise evaluations, noting strengths and minor shortcomings, and emphasize the geographical value of the works.