Guatemala

Ruth L. C. Magnanini

This review examines the Preliminary Atlas of Guatemala, published in August 1964 by the General Directorate of Cartography, part of the National Geographic Institute. Compiled at a scale of 1:1,500,000, the atlas aims to support socioeconomic development projects by consolidating various national studies. It begins with political maps showing administrative divisions and urban centers, followed by physical maps covering hypsometry, vegetation, soils, climate, and geology. Population geography is addressed through analytical maps of distribution, density, birth and mortality rates, and urbanization percentages, culminating in a synthetic map. The second section presents a draft socioeconomic development plan, including irrigation areas for the next 20 years, a communication route network, a proposed reorganization of the current 23 departments into eight provinces and one central district, and the selection of 78 urban centers to tackle social and economic issues. Additional projects cover telecommunications, air routes, and hospitals. A final synthetic map integrates irrigation and fertilization needs, planned roads, and the new administrative division, highlighting the fundamental aspects of Guatemala's development process.

Edward P. Thatcher

This is an academic review of the 1972 National Atlas of Guatemala, produced by Guatemala's national geographical institute. The atlas, notable for its appealing format and careful scholarship, compares favorably with other Latin American national atlases in reference value. The review highlights that its three sections on physical, human, and economic resources effectively convey information through well-chosen color photographs and simple, appropriate symbols, with the plate on 'Internal Migration to Guatemala City, 1970' being particularly outstanding. However, the review also identifies several shortcomings, including the lack of scale indications on many plates, poor-quality black-and-white photographs, the absence of a section on political organization, and missing area data for Petén and Belize. Overall, the atlas is deemed highly accessible even to readers without Spanish proficiency, thanks to its clear symbols, legends, and colors, making it a splendid reference work.

Paul S. Anderson

This is an academic review of the Atlas Nacional de Guatemala (1972), published by the Guatemalan Geographic Institute. The atlas contains approximately 37 maps at 1:830,000 scale, along with urban and historical maps, covering the whole of Guatemala and the disputed territory of Belize. The review notes that the atlas is most thorough in its treatment of physical resources and primary economic activities, while the text is concise but somewhat inadequate for social and industrial themes, with one labeling error (fertility map marked as "fecundity"). Photographs are well-chosen, though black-and-white halftones suffer from contrast loss. Overall, the atlas holds significant reference value for major libraries, and its limited print run of 2000 copies may become collector's items.