Vietnam Atlas

Der „Atlas Vietnam" (Hanoi 1964) und seine darstellungsmethodischen Probleme

Rudi Ogrissek · 1965

This paper provides a detailed cartographic review of the Atlas of Vietnam published in Hanoi in 1964. Following the structure of a national atlas, the work suffers from uneven quality due to better source material for North Vietnam than for the South. The author analyzes each of the 16 maps covering political, physical, demographic, and economic themes, commending strengths such as the systematic legends and pictorial symbols in the industry map, while criticizing weaknesses including inappropriate color choices, incomplete legends, missing scales, and symbol sizes disproportionate to represented values. The review also addresses the balance between political messaging (e.g., North-South unity) and scientific expression. Despite methodological flaws, the atlas is recognized as a commendable achievement, though its binding quality fails to match its content's significance.