Croatia克罗地亚
Curatorial Note
AI-curated draftThe cartographic tradition of Croatia, situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and Central/Southeast Europe, has deep roots reaching back to antiquity. Ptolemy’s fifth map of Europe already marked this territory, and centuries of maritime and overland trade sustained a continuous practice of mapmaking. However, the modern national atlas tradition crystallized only after Croatia’s independence in the early 1990s. The sole atlas in this collection, published in 1993 by the Miroslav Krleža Lexicographical Institute, stands as a testament to that pivotal moment. Titled *A Concise Atlas of the Republic of Croatia & of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina*, it was compiled in English, reflecting an intent to introduce the newly recognized state to the international community. Its editorial approach combined concise thematic maps with clear geopolitical framing, offering a compact yet authoritative overview of Croatia’s territory and its immediate neighbor. This work not only filled an urgent informational gap but also asserted Croatia’s place in European cartographic scholarship. Its publication marked a foundational step, influencing later national atlases and reinforcing the role of cartography in nation-building. Today, it remains a key reference for understanding how a young state used maps to define itself on the world stage.
The Shelves
This is the first volume of the national atlas tradition in our collection.
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Article1996Atlas Cartography in Croatia
Željka Richter
Croatia's geographical position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and Central/Southeast Europe has stimulated cartographic activity since antiquity. From Ptolemy's fifth map of Europe to the portolan charts and Glavač's 1673 map, Croatian territories have been depicted by numerous foreign and domestic cartographers. In the twentieth century, atlas production in Croatia was dominated by editions tied to Yugoslavia, often obscuring Croatia's distinct identity. The collapse of the multinational state and the establishment of an independent Croatia created an urgent need for a new, scientifically grounded cartographic presentation. This paper focuses on the response of the Cartographic Department at the Miroslav Krleža Lexicographical Institute, which designed three atlas projects: A Concise Atlas of the Republic of Croatia (and Bosnia-Herzegovina) (1993) for international readers; the Road Atlas of Croatia (Autoatlas Hrvatske), a practical tourist guide updated to reflect new borders; and Atlas Europe, an innovative thematic atlas that links natural, demographic, economic, cultural, historical and geopolitical topics, giving special attention to Croatia's role in a changed Europe. The new atlases combine traditional cartographic methods with modern GIS technology and aim to replace inaccurate European perceptions of Croatia with accurate, comprehensive and accessible geographic information. They represent both a continuation of Croatian atlas traditions and a significant innovation in regional cartography.
From the Physical Collection
Photographs are being prepared for this hall.