Finland

Edward Neovius

Since its founding in 1888, the Geographical Society of Finland has dedicated itself to the systematic study of the country's geography. Drawing upon the rich materials accumulated by various scientific and governmental institutions, the Society compiled and published the 'Atlas of Finland'. Initially prepared for the 6th International Geographical Congress in London in 1899, the atlas underwent thorough revision and was supplemented with numerous new maps. It covers a wide range of topics including topography, geology, climate, hydrology, population statistics, education, agriculture, industry, communications, and prehistoric sites. The population statistics, based on continuous data spanning 140 years, notably reveal the significant impacts of wars, epidemics, and crop failures on demographic changes. Accompanied by a detailed text volume, the atlas was published bilingually in Finnish and Swedish, aiming to disseminate knowledge of the country's geography and to further advance geographical research.

William Rosier

This article reviews the Atlas of Finland, published in 1899 by the Geographical Society of Finland, along with its accompanying explanatory text. Based on the latest cartographic and statistical methods, the atlas comprises 33 plates covering topics such as topography, geology, meteorology, vegetation, population, economy, and prehistoric archaeology, with detailed commentary provided in Finnish, Swedish, and French. The review highlights the scientific value of the publication, which systematically presents Finland's physical and human geography, and underscores its significance in affirming Finnish national identity and civilizational achievements amid pressures from the Russian Empire at the time.

Edg Mercinier

This article reviews the revised edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1941 by the Geographical Society of Finland. The work comprises two text volumes and an atlas of 55 maps, significantly expanded from the 1899 original. The author notes that geography has evolved beyond traditional place-name and political boundary descriptions into a comprehensive discipline touching all branches of human knowledge. The first volume focuses on physical geography, the second on population and civilization, with chapters written by specialists and accompanied by bibliographies. Particular attention is given to Finnish lakes, forest economy, electoral system, and demographic statistics, with a suggestion that statistical data could benefit from international comparison.

J. Poirot

This article is a detailed review of the second edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1910 by the Geographical Society of Finland. This edition is a comprehensive revision and expansion of the 1899 first edition, significantly increased in size, containing 50 maps, 233 cartograms, 28 diagrams, and 38 city plans, accompanied by a text of approximately 1500 pages. The article first notes that although the atlas's cartographic accuracy in the northern regions is still limited by the lack of precise geodetic data, it shows significant progress in both depth and breadth, adding new chapters such as oceanography and agricultural statistics, and deepening existing ones like biogeography and hydrography. The author emphasizes that this collective work, while a series of excellent monographs, lacks an organic, integrated geographical synthesis, and suggests that condensing its content into a single volume would be of great service. The article then delves into Finland's physical geography, pointing out that while the overall terrain is a vast plain gently sloping towards the sea, the surface is highly rugged due to ancient Precambrian bedrock and Quaternary glaciation, with numerous lakes and a rugged coastline. The geology section explains the evolution of the Fennoscandian Shield, including seven Precambrian series and tectonic movements during the Caledonian and Tertiary periods. The section on glacial formations analyzes the ice sheet's erosive and shaping action, explaining the bathymetric profiles of lakes. The latter half of the article shifts to biogeography, detailing the vertical and horizontal zonation of vegetation from southern deciduous forests to northern coniferous, birch, and finally Lapland alpine tundra zones, and analyzing the distribution and genesis of forests and bogs. The zoogeography section discusses the south-to-north impoverishment of fauna, distribution limits of various species, their possible origins, and mentions relict species from postglacial times, such as the Ladoga ringed seal. Overall, this text serves as a comprehensive academic evaluation and summary of this significant geographical work.

J. Poirot

This article provides a detailed review of the human geography section of the second edition of the Atlas of Finland, focusing on the population, agriculture, industry, and communications of the country in the early 20th century. It notes that Finland's settlement dates back to the Neolithic Littorina period, with the population initially drawn to water sources, forming five geographically recognizable tribes. Between the mid-18th and mid-19th centuries, agricultural colonization increased the population from 575,000 to 1.84 million, pushing settlement into the interior. However, from the 1860s onward, industrialization became the main driver of population distribution, concentrating people in urban and industrial centers, with the agricultural population falling to 57% by 1900. Population density is uneven, averaging about 8.5 per square kilometer, with the highest in Nyland and the lowest in Uleåborg, and is closely linked to waterways. In agriculture, primitive swidden cultivation was replaced by more advanced methods; due to the cold climate, rye cultivation shifted to hardier oats and fodder crops, promoting livestock raising and a flourishing butter export industry. In industry, despite scarce mineral resources, Finland possesses nearly inexhaustible forests and hydropower, offering favorable conditions for industries like timber and paper, leading to the rise of cities such as Tampere. For communications, Finland leverages its numerous lakes and rivers, supplemented by canals and railways, creating a unique network where winter ice roads and summer waterways are particularly important. The article concludes that the Atlas comprehensively showcases how Finland, under adverse natural conditions, successfully developed a prosperous civilization through its tenacious national character and favorable social institutions, emphasizing the crucial role of social factors in utilizing natural conditions.

Gustave Regelsperger

The Atlas of Finland, published in 1911 by the Society of Geography of Finland, is a comprehensive statistical atlas covering physical and human geography. The physical section details topography, hydrography, geology, climate, and biota, while the human section analyzes population, ethnicity, economy, and transportation. Renowned for its scholarly depth and craftsmanship, the atlas serves as a model for geographical studies, illustrating geography as an integrated discipline of natural and human sciences.

A. Zierhoffer

This article reviews the third edition of the Atlas of Finland (1925–1928), published by the Geographical Society of Finland. The edition was completely revised in content and structure, reducing the number of plates from 55 to 38 while maintaining informational richness through smaller scales, enhanced map content, and a more synthetic approach. The atlas covers a wide range of topics, including topography, geology, hydrology, climate, biogeography, demography, economy, education, and administration. New features include 1:1,000,000-scale maps of vegetation types and population distribution, typical landscapes, and geographical regions. The reviewer regards the atlas as an exhaustive monograph on Finland, a testament to Finnish civilization, and an effective instrument of political propaganda.

Egmond Gœgg

This article introduces the Atlas of Finland, published in 1929 by the Geographical Society of Finland in Helsinki. The 320-page volume, accompanied by a magnificent collection of maps, was issued in Finnish, Swedish, and English; the Geneva Geographical Society received the English edition. Particular attention is drawn to the chapter on state organization, which offers a captivating summary of Finnish history, followed by in-depth studies of the country's climate, flora and fauna, its countless lakes, and forests covering over 70% of the territory. Chapters on languages, ethnography, agriculture, mining, maritime trade, and public education are also of great interest. The volume concludes with comprehensive and recent census data, revealing a population of approximately 3.5 million—609,000 urban and 2,949,000 rural—comparable to that of Switzerland.

Eugene van Cleef

The Atlas of Finland, published by the Geographical Society of Finland, is the latest revised edition following the 1899 and 1910 versions, based on statistics from 1925. It contains a comprehensive collection of maps covering physical geography, political divisions, vegetation and population distribution, regional classifications, foreign trade, cultural facilities, and socio-economic data, accompanied by a separate text volume. The atlas demonstrates high standards in cartographic technique, content breadth, and data integration, offering valuable resources for geographic research. Despite minor shortcomings in paper quality, English translation, and cartographic methods, it remains a commendable scholarly work reflecting Finland's achievements in geographical science.

H. Richter

This article reviews the third edition of the Atlas of Finland (Atlas över Finland), published by the Finnish Geographical Society between 1925 and 1929 with substantial government support. Designed to present a comprehensive picture of Finland's physical geography, governmental structures, and living conditions, this edition introduced significant changes from its predecessors: historical-geological, archaeological, and historical maps were omitted, the text was drastically condensed from 1,500 pages in the second edition to 302 pages, and urban topography was reorganized for greater clarity. The atlas is divided into two main sections: the first (plates 1–21) covers physical geography, including topography, geology, climate, hydrology, flora, and fauna, featuring an outstanding 1:1,000,000-scale map by Professor Granö; the second (plates 22–38) addresses population, industry, and cultural life. The work was widely praised by both the public and geographers for its scientific rigor and innovative regionalization, largely owing to the editorial leadership of Professor Granö and his distinguished collaborators.

Ulrich Kriesche

This article surveys the historical development, institutional foundations, principal products, and contemporary condition of Finnish cartography from the sixteenth century to the early 1940s. Early European maps depicted Finland with highly distorted outlines, although military conflict, northern trade, taxation, land administration, and economic planning gradually created a demand for more reliable geographic information. Because Finland formed part of the Swedish realm, its early cartographic history was inseparable from the development of Swedish surveying. In the seventeenth century, Andreas Bureus placed Swedish-Finnish mapping on a more systematic and scientific footing by determining coordinates, training surveyors, and promoting standardized cadastral maps accompanied by descriptive records. Subsequent works by Anders Strengh, Lorenz Schroderus, Gripenhielm, and others improved the representation of settlements, property divisions, coastlines, and the national territory, even though errors in longitude and the absence of consistent geodetic control remained serious limitations. Warfare in the early eighteenth century largely interrupted surveying. After the Peace of Turku in 1743, however, reconstruction, land consolidation, and new triangulations revived cartographic activity. Surveys associated with Maupertuis, Gadolin, Justander, Wallin, and af Schultén supplied improved foundations, while Wetterstedt, Hermelin, and Hällström critically combined archival maps, field observations, measurements, and place-name research. Their work marked a transition toward modern cartography and more restrained, evidence-based relief representation. The article argues that Finnish national cartography was nearly immobilized during the Russian period, leaving Russian topographic and nautical maps—later released from secrecy—as indispensable sources well into the twentieth century. Following independence, Finland had to construct a modern national mapping system without the mature institutional continuity enjoyed by older states. Authorities experimented with surveys at 1:50,000 and plane-table sheets at 1:20,000, but the need for rapid coverage encouraged temporary reliance on 1:100,000 mapping. Economic maps, topographic series, general maps, wall maps, hand maps, and the Finnish atlas demonstrate significant progress, while the adoption of the Gauss–Krüger projection across most series represents an important step toward standardization. Nevertheless, accurate coverage remained geographically uneven: southern Finland, strategically important Ladoga Karelia, selected urban and economic districts, and Petsamo were comparatively well mapped, whereas extensive interior and northern areas still depended on the inadequate 1:400,000 general map. The study also examines inconsistent Finnish and Swedish place-name spellings, official bilingual naming practices, and efforts to standardize Skolt Sámi names. It concludes that Finnish cartography, like the young state itself, remained under construction, but displayed a strong commitment to scientifically sound, unified, and practically useful maps; wartime requirements were expected to generate further advances.

Leo Aario

This paper presents two geographical studies. The first concerns the fourth edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1960 and compiled by the Department of Geography at the University of Helsinki. By effectively utilizing colors and reducing map sizes, the atlas increased its number of maps while controlling costs, with about two-thirds of the content being new. The second study addresses the acute problems of waterlogging and salinity in the irrigated areas of West Pakistan, which have caused significant land degradation. It analyzes the causes and introduces reclamation measures involving tube-wells for drainage and salt flushing, which are expected to substantially boost agricultural production in the region.

Juan Benito Arranz

This article reviews the development of national atlases, focusing on the pioneering role of the Atlas of Finland as the first of its kind. It notes that a national atlas aims to systematically summarize a country's scientific knowledge in physical, human, economic, and political geography. First published in 1899, the Atlas of Finland set an example for other nations through its subsequent improved editions. The compilation of national atlases expanded globally during and after the interwar period, with a trend towards fascicle publication. The article lists various national atlases in progress or completed at the time and analyzes the characteristics and contributions of different editions of the Finnish atlas, emphasizing its significance in advancing geographical research and international comparison.

Niels Nielsen

This is an academic review of the fourth edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1960. Edited by the Geographical Society of Finland, this atlas is recognized as the oldest national atlas in the world, with its first edition dating back to 1899. The review notes that work on the fourth edition began in 1953 under the late Professor Gabriel Granö, with Väinö Auer later assuming the chairmanship of the atlas commission and Leo Aario serving as editor, supported by a wide range of specialists. The review highlights the atlas's high scientific and technical standards, incorporating results from much first-hand research. Given the profound structural changes in Finland since the third edition (1925), extensive special studies were necessary, leading to the inclusion of numerous new maps that harmoniously complement earlier editions. Unlike the third edition's comprehensive text volume, the fourth edition limits its explanatory notes to brief descriptions of each map group, providing essential information for users, while directing those seeking more detail to the second edition of the Handbook of Finland's Geography (1951). The review concludes that this work continues Finland's great geographical traditions and reaffirms its leading role in the production of national atlases.

М. М. Вабар; Р. С. Нарских; Л. Р. Серебряный

This article critically reviews the fourth edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1960, and assesses its scholarly value, cartographic methods, thematic organization, and limitations. Building on Finland’s distinguished tradition of national atlas production since 1899, the new edition was initiated by J. G. Granö and completed by an editorial team led by V. Auer and L. Aario, with contributions from leading Finnish specialists and researchers at the University of Helsinki. The bilingual Finnish-English atlas, supplemented in places by Swedish, comprises 415 maps on 89 sheets. Despite its relatively compact size, it covers an exceptionally broad range of natural and socioeconomic subjects, with socioeconomic maps occupying the largest share. The natural-science sections address geodesy, geophysics, geology, Quaternary deposits, climate, hydrography, water resources, flora, forests, peatlands, and animal distribution. Particularly valuable are the updated geological map, long-term climatic series, detailed treatment of marine and inland waters, hydropower planning, forest-resource maps, and representations of changing animal ranges. Population geography is examined dynamically through maps from different dates, while the economic sections portray agriculture, forestry, industry, transport, tourism, foreign trade, ports, cooperatives, finance, education, health, elections, and regional disparities. The atlas effectively reveals Finland’s major spatial contrasts, including the concentration of population, industry, higher wages, and imports in the south and southwest; the greater poverty, living costs, seasonal unemployment, and weaker accessibility of the north and northeast; and the importance of forests, hydropower, export ports, and expanding trade with the Soviet Union. Its principal strengths are thematic breadth, careful coordination among maps, effective multicolor design, generally high-quality generalization, attention to temporal and spatial change, and numerous original or synthetic maps, especially those of physical-geographical and economic regionalization. The reviewers nevertheless identify several weaknesses: excessive simplification of relief on the hypsometric map, missing age symbols on the geological map, outdated and incomplete unemployment data, frequent reliance on choropleth techniques, and the absence of comprehensive geomorphological, soil, geobotanical, zoogeographical, and general economic maps. Although prepared before international standards for national atlases were formulated and therefore not fully aligned with them, the atlas is judged a major advance in national cartography. Its scientific and practical importance was confirmed by the high appraisal it received at the 1960 International Geographical Congress exhibition in Stockholm.

Ena L. Yonge

This article provides a systematic summary review of approximately one hundred regional atlases from around the world, organized primarily by continent (or other large region) and then alphabetically by country within each group. The author begins by noting that the ever-increasing flood of atlases—national, regional, topical, and special—makes individual reviews impossible, thus necessitating summary evaluations to acknowledge important publications while respecting space constraints. The review covers representative works from Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, North America, and South America, encompassing road atlases, historical-geographical atlases, national atlases, climatic atlases, economic atlases, and school atlases. Each atlas is assessed in terms of its compiling institution, editors, scales, number of plates, content structure, cartographic techniques, printing quality, and scholarly value, with notable features and shortcomings highlighted. For instance, the European section evaluates works such as the Euroatlas, Atlas östliches Mitteleuropa, Atlas von Niederösterreich, Atlas de Belgique, Climatic Atlas of Czechoslovakia, Atlas of Denmark, and Atlas of Finland, while the American section covers state atlases from Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia, as well as national atlases from Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. The article emphasizes that these atlases not only reflect the research standards of geography and cartography in their respective countries but also serve as vital references for regional planning, economic development, historical research, and education. The author concludes by acknowledging that no single individual can possess sufficient expertise across all aspects of geography, cartography, and linguistics to render definitive critical judgments, yet such summaries offer valuable guidance to scholars, with a forthcoming review of world atlases and special atlases announced.

D. H. Maling

This article reviews the fourth edition of the Atlas of Finland (Suomen Kartasto), published in 1960, succeeding the first edition of 1899. Compiled by the Finnish Geographical Society and the Institute of Geography, University of Helsinki, with cartography by the General Survey Office, the atlas comprises 39 plates containing 455 maps and diagrams at varied scales (largest 1:1,000,000; most thematic maps at 1:6M or 1:9M). The design employs small-scale, single-topic maps grouped by theme (e.g., Plate 5 features 18 climatic maps), enhancing legibility and visual comparison, thereby challenging the conventional requirement for uniform scales in national atlases. Printing utilizes five colors with 10-18 color combinations per plate (up to 29 on complex plates), though minor defects include careless masking on some plates and poor place-name legibility, especially on the folding administrative map (Plate 39). The atlas provides a comprehensive geographical picture of Finland for 1950-1959, demonstrating scholarly rigor and offering valuable lessons in layout and design for future national atlases.

Leo Aario

Atlas of Finland 1960. The Geographical Society in Finland appointed a committee on December 4, 1953, to manage the publication of a new Atlas of Finland. The chairman of the committee was at first Professor J. G. Granö, later Professor Väinö Auer. Professor Leo Aario was chosen as the editor of the atlas. The maps for the atlas, which were printed in the cartographic printing works of the Central Board of Land Survey, were completed in 1960. The atlas, with the text pages which were printed by the Publishing Company Otava, was published in February 1961. The Finnish text book appeared in May 1961 and the English in April 1962. The Swedish textbook is under preparation.

A. Götz

This article reviews the Atlas of Finland (Suomen Kartasto, 1960) and the Autoatlas ČSSR (Czechoslovak Road Atlas, 1963). The former, as the fourth edition of Finland's national atlas, is highly praised for its outstanding content and cartographic quality, particularly its innovative 1:1,000,000 population and arable land comparison map and marine thematic maps. However, the review notes deficiencies such as outdated data and the lack of explanatory text. The latter is acknowledged for its enlarged scale, enriched content, and improved text sections, but is severely criticized for failing to distinguish between paved and unpaved roads—a critical omission—and for inadequate slope markings, rendering its practical value inferior even to pre-war Czechoslovak road maps. Both reviews reflect rigorous standards for practicality and academic precision in cartographic publications.

Georges Chabot

This article reviews the fourth edition of the Atlas of Finland, published in 1960 by the Geographical Society of Finland, comprising 39 plates and 421 maps with a separate text volume. The reviewer notes that although designated as the fourth edition, this work is essentially a completely new atlas, reflecting the profound changes in Finland following WWII, including territorial adjustments, population resettlement, and economic transformation, particularly industrialization. The atlas comprehensively covers physical geography, population, agriculture, industry, commerce, and regional divisions. The review praises its remarkable cartographic execution and the wealth of information it provides, considering it one of the finest national atlases ever produced. The author concludes that this atlas continues the patriotic tradition established with the first edition in 1899, serving as a definitive representation of modern Finland and a major achievement of Finnish geographical scholarship.

Wolf Tietze

The Atlas of Finland (Suomen Kartasto), 5th edition, published by the National Board of Survey jointly with the Geographical Society of Finland since 1977, exemplifies the country's pioneering role in national atlas production, with its first edition predating independence by nearly two decades. Initially serving to showcase the Grand Principality's encyclopedic information and foster national identity, the atlas has evolved into a comprehensive, standardized, and highly readable reference covering all aspects of regional geography, including physical, biological, and social environments, with explanatory texts in Finnish, Swedish, and English. Designed as a continuous compilation of statistical-geographical knowledge, it functions as an educational tool for schools and the public, aiming to enhance understanding of environmental challenges and opportunities. The review praises its methodological rigor, interlinked content, and affordability, deeming it an outstanding contribution to applied geography.

李海晨

This article introduces the national atlases of Finland and Sweden. The Finnish atlas, first published in 1899 and internationally recognized, was later issued in updated editions. The 1960 edition, compiled by the Geographical Society of Finland and the University of Helsinki, contains 415 maps covering physical, political, and socio-economic topics, with English explanations. The Swedish atlas, published since 1953, uses a spread-page format with scales of 1:4 million and 1:8 million, featuring detailed thematic maps on relief, climate, vegetation, lakes, peatlands, forests, agricultural phenology, population, and arable land, supplemented by textual notes and transparent overlay sheets for administrative boundaries. Both atlases emphasize scientific rigor and practical economic relevance, reflecting their countries' natural and socio-economic conditions.

Michel Cabouret

This article reviews the centenary development of the Atlas of Finland, the world's first national atlas. Published in 1899 by the Geographical Society of Finland, this pioneering work was awarded a gold medal at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition for its innovative use of thematic maps to systematically present the country's geography. The article traces the evolution of six editions from 1899 to 1999, analyzing changes in content, technology, and language, and examining how the atlas reflected Finland's political and social transformation from an autonomous Grand Duchy under the Russian Empire to an independent nation. Furthermore, it compares the publication of national atlases in other Nordic countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway), highlighting Finland's pioneering role and underscoring the high level of the Finnish geographical school and its profound influence on the development of cartography worldwide.

Bengt Rystedt

The Atlas of Finland, the world's first national atlas, was published in six editions from 1899 to 2002, offering a unique perspective on the cartographic representation of Finland's geography and illustrating advancements in atlas production and shifts in geographical knowledge. The first four editions were issued by the Geographical Society of Finland, with early editions appearing in French to underscore the nationalistic role of academic work during Finland's time within the Russian Empire; the third edition, published in English after independence, was even more explicitly nationalistic. The fifth edition, a joint effort with the National Land Survey, comprised 25 folio volumes covering 44 subjects, with legends in multiple languages and separate text volumes. The sixth edition, published to mark the centenary of the first, aimed to introduce academic geography's achievements and trace Finland's evolution within complex interaction networks from local to global scales. A comparison of the six editions reveals significant growth in scholarship, thematic content, and cartographic techniques throughout the twentieth century. The Atlas served as a national symbol and an integral part of Finland's scientific and popular culture, with each edition's topic selection reflecting both the authors' priorities and the spirit of its time.