The National Atlas of Sri Lanka

The National Atlas of Sri Lanka

U. Schweinfurth · 1995

This is an academic review of the first National Atlas of Sri Lanka, published in 1988. The author acknowledges the atlas as a milestone in cartographic representation and a demonstration of nationhood, noting its 1:1,000,000 base scale and text-left/map-right layout. The review critically examines thematic maps on agro-ecology, historical and contemporary population distribution, ethnic and religious groups, and irrigation settlement schemes. A key observation is that the juxtaposition of historical and 1981 population maps reveals a fundamental shift in land use between the dry and wet zones, yet the atlas fails to discuss this significant historical development. The review also identifies omissions such as chena (swidden) cultivation, monsoon impacts on fishing, and forest resources, recommending future editions include a topographical section, bibliography, and more geographically meaningful cartographic methods.