Mexico

Richard W. Stephenson

This article reviews significant atlases published in the Western Hemisphere (including North America, South America, and Central America and the Caribbean) since Ena L. Yonge's summary survey in 1962. The survey is divided into two parts, with this part focusing on the Western Hemisphere, covering 147 volumes of general and thematic atlases of the entire hemisphere, continents, major regions, and individual countries, as well as atlases of individual states and provinces of the United States and Canada. Notable atlases mentioned include the 'Alpha Map Transparencies' series for teaching regional geography, Theodore R. Miller's 'Graphic History of the Americas,' David K. Adams and H. B. Rodgers' 'An Atlas of North American Affairs,' and the 'Oxford Regional Economic Atlas: United States & Canada.' The Canadian section details the fourth edition of 'The National Atlas of Canada,' the 'Atlas and Gazetteer of Canada,' historical atlases, and the 'Atlas of Alberta.' The South American section covers atlases from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Surinam, and Venezuela, such as the 'Atlas nacional do Brasil,' 'Atlas histórico geográfico y de paisajes peruanos,' and 'Atlas de Venezuela.' The article aims to describe the contents and features of these atlases rather than provide critical evaluations, and concludes by suggesting that the next decade may see an increase in the production of high-quality atlases by Western Hemisphere nations.

李道义

This article reports on the compilation of Mexico's first national atlas. Produced by the Mexican National Bureau of Geography over a period of four years and seven months, the atlas comprises 224 pages and includes eleven groups of maps covering topography, relief, climate, geology, and land use, with a uniform scale and six-color printing. The article details the compilation methods, projection choices, feature representation, and color design of each map group, and briefly describes the US practice of publishing topographic maps in microfiche format, offering technical references for the field of cartography.

Germán Muñoz Guevara

The Institute of Geography at UNAM has completed the National Atlas of Mexico after five years of work. This three-volume atlas, comprising 160 plates and 600 maps, integrates comprehensive information on Mexico's geography, history, society, nature, environment, economy, and international relations, and is hailed as the most significant geographical work produced in Mexico this century. Its creation involved 300 specialists in an interdisciplinary effort and marked the first time such a work was printed in Mexico. The atlas serves not only research and education but also practical applications in agriculture, urban planning, ecological conservation, and disaster prevention, and has established a national geographic and statistical database for further study.

Erdmann Gormsen

This is a review of the three-volume National Atlas of Mexico, published in 1990 by the Institute of Geography, UNAM. The atlas combines professional craftsmanship with artistic excellence, comprising seven main chapters covering general maps, history, society, natural phenomena, environmental aspects, economy, and Mexico in the world. The review focuses on Volume I, which contains 46 double pages and 246 maps, with a substantial historical section and socio-demographic data largely based on the 1980 census. While praising the atlas for its rich information and fine cartography, the author points out several shortcomings, such as potentially confusing map designs, the narrow definition of migration (limited to cross-state moves), and imprecise terminology. Overall, the atlas is regarded as a valuable instrument for revealing regional disparities and supporting research on the country's spatial development.

Robert B. Kent

This article reviews and evaluates six recently published national atlases from Latin America, including the Atlas de Colombia (4th edition), Atlas Nacional de México (3 volumes), Nuevo Atlas Nacional de Cuba, Atlas de Perú, Atlas Nacional de la República de Panamá, and Atlas de Bolivia. The article first defines the criteria for a 'national atlas': it must be produced under the auspices or with the approval of the national government, aim to provide broad thematic coverage of the nation, and be produced to high intellectual and cartographic standards for scholarly research. It then provides detailed assessments of each atlas, covering physical specifications, organizational structure, thematic content, cartographic quality, and strengths and weaknesses. The Atlas Nacional de México is particularly praised for its monumental scale, rich thematic coverage, and fine cartography, though it is noted for overly complex symbols and lack of an index. The Nuevo Atlas Nacional de Cuba is recognized as a continuation of Cuba's strong cartographic tradition, demonstrating extensive collaboration and high production quality. Other atlases show varying strengths in thematic breadth and presentation but commonly suffer from vague citations, lack of general bibliographies, or missing indexes. The article concludes that while the quality of these atlases ranges from outstanding to barely acceptable, all serve as valuable reference sources for Latin American studies, with environmental, cultural, and historical content retaining long-term utility, and recommends their acquisition by university libraries with relevant programs.

Pere Sunyer Martín

David J. Bobinson

This is an academic review of the Nuevo Atlas Nacional de México, compiled by the Instituto de Geografía at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. The atlas contains 726 maps and 353 graphics across five principal sections covering history, society, economy, and physical geography. The review highlights the atlas's exceptional data range, cartographic quality, and print production. It notes the atlas's value in illustrating Mexico's demographic dynamics, migration patterns, economic development, and environmental conditions. The author concludes that the atlas represents a monumental contribution to geographical literature and expresses hope for an online version to broaden accessibility beyond the thousand printed copies.

Aaron Pollack

This review assesses the Nuevo Atlas Nacional de México, published in 2007 by the Instituto de Geografía at UNAM. Edited by Atlántida Coll-Hurtado with over 150 contributors, the atlas comprises 726 maps and 353 tables, offering a creatively detailed portrait of early 21st-century Mexico across physical, historical, social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The review highlights the economy section as the centerpiece, which transparently demonstrates the impacts of neoliberal policies and NAFTA on agriculture, manufacturing, and services, alongside persistent social inequalities, massive migration flows, and severe environmental degradation. While noting the absence of topics like narcotics trafficking and voting patterns, and an underplayed human-environment nexus, the reviewer praises the atlas as an incredibly useful, well-organized tool for researchers across disciplines beyond geography, predicting it will become a standard reference for Mexican geography.