France

This article reviews the first four instalments (16 sheets) of the Atlas de France, published 1933–1934 by the Comité National de Géographie, with a projected total of 80 sheets over five years. The atlas covers physical geography, biogeography, economic geography, and human/political geography, employing six layout patterns with scales ranging from 1:1,250,000 to 1:8,000,000. The author evaluates sheets on relief, temperature, mineral resources, industry, telecommunications, and population density, praising the effective use of contours and altitude tints in the relief maps. Particular attention is given to the population density maps, which use communal administrative units rather than isopleths; the author critically discusses this methodological choice, comparing it with earlier approaches by Levasseur, de Martonne, and the Ordnance Survey's dasymetric mapping. The review concludes that the atlas ranks among leading national atlases and highlights the need for a similar atlas of the United States in an era of national planning.

E. de Martonne

This article presents an overview of the Atlas de France project. Initiated by the French National Committee of Geography during the International Geographical Congress in Paris, the project secured essential financial support. The atlas comprises 80 sheets, equally divided among physical, economic, and human geography, with a planned completion period of five years. Several sample maps are showcased, including relief and population density maps at 1:250,000 scale, a rainfall map at 1:2,500,000, and a temperature map at 1:5,000,000. These maps demonstrate innovation in color design, data sources, and cartographic methods, balancing detail with overall harmony. The author expresses optimism about timely completion, despite the meticulous effort required for each original sheet.

H. O.

This review examines the initial sixteen plates of the Atlas de France, published by the Comité National de Géographie between 1933 and 1934, covering relief, climate, industry, commerce, and population density and dynamics. The author offers a detailed critique of the relief maps, noting both their clarity and the shortcomings in contour interval selection for representing subtle plain features. The climatological sheets, based on the works of Angot and Bénévent, present temperature distributions and frost data. Industrial maps clearly delineate mineral concessions and the regional patterns of metallurgy and textiles. The population density maps, plotted at the commune level, achieve notable accuracy and reveal significant distributions, such as the Lyon–Saint-Étienne complex and the extension of dense settlement from Alsace across the former frontier. Overall, the atlas is praised as a valuable scholarly contribution to regional geography, though the review suggests potential improvements in cartographic techniques.

Em. de Martonne

The Atlas of France, proposed by Robert Perret to the French National Committee of Geography in 1922, did not begin regular publication until 1933, with an original plan of five years. To date, 60 plates have been issued, with about 20 remaining. The atlas adheres to a principle of originality, with each plate representing independent research; 49 scholars have contributed, at an average cost of 20,000 francs per plate. Notable features include full maps of France at scales of 1:1,000,000 or 1:1,250,000, covering topography, geology, climate, hydrology, economy, industry, transportation, and political-human geography. Innovative contributions include thermal profile maps, precipitation variability maps, river regime maps, oceanographic maps, forestry maps, mineral resource maps, fisheries maps, road traffic maps, tourism maps, and political opinion distribution maps. Although delayed by the laborious production of large maps, the atlas is expected to be completed before the next International Geographical Congress.

André Libault

This article presents the design principles and methods adopted for several new plates of the second edition of the Atlas de France, published by the French National Committee of Geography. The author observes that while the geographical facts themselves have changed only moderately since the first edition, cartographers' ways of perceiving and representing these phenomena have undergone profound transformations. Consequently, the new edition goes beyond simple updating and involves the complete redesign of many human geography plates. Using examples such as the geological map, population structure map, population distribution map, agricultural land-use map, and energy map, the article illustrates a range of innovative cartographic techniques: superimposing lithological symbols on geological maps to complement stratigraphic information; using statistical frequency curves to determine class intervals on population maps; employing dot-distribution methods combined with three-dimensional symbols for urban areas; differentiating crop types through color-coded and shape-varied symbols on agricultural maps; and introducing, for the first time, a comprehensive map of national energy resources, conversion facilities, and transmission networks. The author emphasizes that these innovations not only enhance the informational capacity and legibility of maps but also reflect broader theoretical and methodological advances in cartography.

Ena L. Yonge

This article provides a comprehensive review of national atlases published worldwide up to the time of writing. It notes that since the Geographical Review first coined the term 'Age of National Atlases' in 1940, the surge of nationalism after World War II has greatly accelerated the production and scope of such atlases. The author surveys 26 published national atlases and 3 in preparation. The article first emphasizes that a national atlas aims to portray all aspects of a country—physical, economic, and social—and highlights a welcome trend: the inclusion of map titles, legends, and text summaries in English or French for atlases published in less familiar languages. The review is then organized by region. For Europe, it details atlases from Austria (Atlas von Niederösterreich), Belgium (Atlas de Belgique), France (revised Atlas de France), and Germany (Deutscher Planungsatlas, specifically Atlas von Berlin), among others, discussing their institutional backing, content structure, scales, cartographic techniques, and unique features, such as Berlin's depiction of wartime damage and postwar development, and Belgium's detailed demographic and agricultural maps. Atlases from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, and Norway are also mentioned. For Africa, the planned Atlas du Maroc is described. For Oceania, the Atlas of Australian Resources is reviewed, highlighting its origin in post-war resource assessment, its effective use of a large scale, and its focus on water resources and population distribution. For North America, the article reports on the progress of a Canadian national atlas and the initiation of the National Atlas of the United States, a collaborative federal effort to compile standardized thematic maps from various government agencies. The article concludes that these national atlases represent significant achievements in geographic and cartographic scholarship, serving as invaluable resources for students, planners, and businesses.

Georges Chabot

This article reports on the presentation ceremony of the second edition of the Atlas of France, held on March 13 in the presence of the Minister of National Education, who admired the various plates and congratulated the contributors. The author traces the atlas's history from its first edition launched in 1931 and completed in 1946, noting its pioneering status worldwide and the subsequent need for renewal due to France's changing landscape and advances in cartographic techniques. The article highlights the intellectual leadership of Robert Perret, Emmanuel de Martonne, and Albert Demangeon in organizing contributions from geographers across French universities, as well as the technical expertise of the Société française de cartographie under André Libault. A significant portion is devoted to the financial challenges of the post-war period, emphasizing Jean Majorelle's crucial role in securing private funding from industrial, banking, and commercial sectors before the CNRS ultimately assumed responsibility. The author concludes that an atlas must be a continuously evolving creation, with plans already underway to replace outdated plates.

О. А. Евтеев; А. Е. Слука

This article reviews the content and characteristics of the second edition of the National Atlas of France (published 1951–1958). Compiled under the direction of Professor André Libault of the Sorbonne, the atlas contains over 400 maps systematically covering the country's physical geography, population, and economic activities. The review notes that the atlas excels in physical mapping (e.g., geomorphological and vegetation maps) and population distribution mapping, employing more precise localized symbols and dot methods. However, it identifies shortcomings in the quantitative representation of industrial maps, the absence of comprehensive regionalization maps, insufficient coverage of socio-cultural aspects, and inconsistencies in cartographic techniques. The authors conclude that the atlas represents a significant achievement in French geography and cartography, and its strengths and weaknesses offer valuable lessons for the compilation of national atlases elsewhere.

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.

李海晨

This paper reviews the characteristics and academic value of three European national atlases from the early to mid-20th century. The Atlas de France (compiled 1931–1946) contains 80 plates covering geomorphology, geology, climate, agriculture, population, and transportation, employing multiple scales, hypsometric tinting, and dot methods with detailed content and high international acclaim. The Atlas des Formes du Relief (published 1956) systematically presents typical landform types in thirteen chapters, innovatively combining contour maps, aerial photographs, anaglyph maps, and geological cross-sections, while also illustrating dynamic geomorphic evolution. The Atlas de Belgique (compiled 1947–1972) is a large folio atlas with approximately 100 plates, addressing both physical and socio-economic themes. These three atlases exhibit distinct strengths in compilation methods, content organization, and cartographic techniques, representing a high standard of regional atlas production in Europe at the time.