Wolf Tietze · 1982
This review assesses the fifth edition of the Atlas of Finland (Suomen Kartasto), published from 1977 by the National Board of Survey and the Geographical Society of Finland. It traces the atlas's origins to nearly two decades before Finnish independence and credits its early editions with presenting information about the Grand Principality and strengthening national identity. The reviewer praises its development, especially since Leo Aario's fourth edition, into a comprehensive regional-geographical reference. Hundreds of maps, statistics, and explanatory texts in Finnish, Swedish, and English combine broad coverage with standardized scales, symbols, and colours. The reviewer emphasizes their readability and interconnected content, whose full use requires sustained consultation. The fifth edition is presented as a continuing compilation of statistical-geographical knowledge, intended to underpin school geography materials and reach a wide public through booksellers and kiosks. The reviewer strongly endorses its educational aim of helping citizens, including political decision-makers, understand the challenges and limitations of physical, biological, and social environments.
