Morocco

H. Waldbaur

This article reviews the first installments of the Atlas du Maroc, published by the Geographical Committee of Morocco. The atlas features a large format (56×47 cm) allowing scales of 1:2 million for full-page maps or 1:4 million for four maps per sheet. The first four plates cover livestock distribution (sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, camels, horses, mules, donkeys), railway infrastructure (track gauge, traction, passenger traffic), and freight transport (overall, mining, agricultural products). The atlas includes explanatory notes on French transliteration of Arabic and Berber names, along with descriptive booklets. The author commends the ambitious project and wishes its successful completion.

Horst Mensching

This is a review of the Atlas du Maroc, published in installments by the Comité de Géographie du Maroc in 1954/55. The atlas aims to provide a systematic representation of all geographical aspects of Morocco, with a planned total of 54 map sheets organized into 11 sections, covering topics such as relief, biogeography, oceanography, human and economic geography. The author highly praises the cartographic quality, the inclusion of statistical diagrams, and the detailed explanatory booklets accompanying each map, considering the atlas an essential reference for regional geographical research on Morocco. However, the author also regrets the exclusion of the Spanish Zone of Morocco (mainly the Rif Mountains) and expresses the hope that the remaining sheets will be published in quick succession to form a complete work.

J. Sladek

The Comité de Géographie du Maroc initiated an ambitious cartographic project in French Morocco, aiming to publish a comprehensive atlas systematically covering all geographical disciplines. The atlas began publication in Rabat in 1954/55 under the direction of French geographer M. J. Célérien, with collaboration from geographers, geologists, geophysicists, and botanists. It was planned to include 54 map sheets organized into 11 groups, encompassing neglected or related scientific fields such as biogeography, oceanography, and history. The sections on human geography and economic geography were the most extensive, with 10 sheets each, while geomorphology also received considerable attention. Unfortunately, the Spanish zone of Morocco could not be included due to the lack of preliminary work. Four sheets have been published so far, covering livestock breeding, railways, and freight transport. The maps employ various scales and are accompanied by supplementary booklets of 30–50 pages. The authors hope the atlas will be completed promptly to avoid becoming an unfinished monumental fragment like many similar undertakings.

Jean Dresch

This article reviews the progress of scientific mapping and research in Morocco, noting that while Algeria and Tunisia had long possessed atlas works, Morocco lacked a comparable tool. To address this, an Atlas Committee for Morocco was established in 1951, modeled on the Atlas of France, planning to publish maps at scales of 1:2,000,000 and 1:1,000,000 in separate sheets, each accompanied by explanatory notes, with the aim of creating a comprehensive geographical reference. The first maps appeared in 1955, covering livestock and railways. The livestock map uses dot symbols to depict animal distribution and proposes a new regional division, while the railway map compiles data on track types, traction, speeds, and passenger and freight traffic. These contributions provide a valuable foundation for Moroccan geographical studies, with potential for further enhancement through additional maps on pastures and pastoral migrations.

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.

I. B. F. Kormoss

This review examines the five map sheets of the Atlas du Maroc published by 1966, covering livestock farming (40a-c) and railways (44a-b). The livestock sheets detail the distribution, breeds, and markets of sheep, goats, cattle, and other animals, while the railway sheets present network infrastructure, traffic volumes, and station functions. The author notes that the atlas employs a simplified cartographic approach compared to other national atlases, achieving clarity despite minor shortcomings in labeling. The review highlights the atlas's role in filling a geographical gap for Morocco and acknowledges the value of its accompanying texts, concluding with an overview of the publication schedule and broader project scope.

W. B. Fisher

EUROPE The Relief and Drainage of Wales. By E. H. Brown 10 X 6¼. Pp. XIII + 186. 24 plates. 47 figs. Folding map inside back cover. Cardiff : The University of Wales Press, 1960. 30s. The Cardiff Region. A Survey prepared for the Meeting of the British Association held in Cardiff. By J. F. Rees (Editor). 10 X 7¼, Pp. XV + 222. 22 figs. 24 plates. Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 1960. 21s. The Mineral Wealth of Wales and Its Exploitation. By T. M. Thomas. 5¾ x 9. Pp. XV + 248. 47 figs. 13 plates. Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd, 1961. 30s. The Scottish Castle. By S. Cruden. 9x 6. Pp. XVI + 272. 25 plans. 48 plates. Edinburgh : Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1960. 42s. Lyon, Ville Industrielle. By M. Laferrère. 9½ X 6¼. Pp. XII + 547. 32 figs. 2 tables. 3 folded maps and statistical analysis, inside back cover. Paris : Presses Universitaires de France, 1960. 30 NF. Ricerche sulle dimore rurali in Italia. Vol. 20. By Luigi Candida. La casa rurale nella pianura e nella collina veneta. 10 X 7. Pp. 208. 36 plates. 76 figs. 1959. Lire 2500. Vol. 21. By Mario Ortolani. La casa rurale negli Abruzzi. 10 X 7. Pp. IV + 148. 28 plates. 67 figs. 1961. Lire 2000. Firenze : Leo S. Olschki, for the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. Recneil d'Etudes Géographiques Concemant le Territoire de la Ripublique Populaire Roumaine. By T. Morariu (Editor). 9¾ x 63/4. Pp. 178. 13 folding maps. 20 text figures. Bucarest: Editions de l'Académie de la République Populaire Roumaine, 1960. A Geography of Norden. Ry A. S0mme (Editor). 11 x 7¾. Pp. 364. Numerous figures, tables and maps. 13 coloured maps. Oslo : J. W. Cappelens Forlag, 1960. N.Kr.53. Norges Tettbygde Steder, 1875–1950. By H. Myklebost. 6½ x 9½. Pp. 371. Photographs, tables, and diagrams, and one coloured folding map 1 :1,500,000. Oslo‐Bergen : Universitetsforlaget, 1960. AFRICA A Contribution to the Physiography of Northern Ethiopia. By Y. Abul‐Haggag. 9½ X 6½. Pp. XIV + 154. 64 photographs, maps and drawings. London : The Athlone Press, University of London, 1961. 42s. The Indigenous Livestock of Eastern and Southern Africa. By I. L. Mason & J. P. Maule. 10 x 6¼. Pp. XV + 151. 3 Figs. 3 Maps. 179 Plates. Famham Royal: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux, 1960. 45s. AMERICA Late‐Pleistocene Environments of North Pacific North America. By C. J. Heusser. American Geographical Society Special Publication No. 35. 9¾ X 6⅝. Pp. XXIII + 308. 49 figures, 25 plates. Burlington : Lane Press, 1960. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY The Human Use of the Earth. By P. L. Wagner. 8½ x 5½. Pp. XV + 270. 7 figs. Glencoe, Illinois : The Free Press. \ 6.00. The Wildbooters. By F. Kern. 8½ X 5¼. Pp. XI + 204. Edinburgh : Oliver & Boyd, 1960. 21s. EDUCATIONAL The Mediterranean Lands, Advanced Level Geography, Book II. By H. Robinson. 8½ X 5½. Pp. VIII + 468. 93 figs. 41 plates and 22 tables. London : The University Tutorial Press, 1960. 21s. The United States of America. By W. R. Mead & D. C. Large. How People Live Series. 8½ x 6½. Pp.104. 26 figures. 28 photographs. London : Educational Supply Association Ltd., 1961. 8s 6d. Geography In and Out of School. Suggestions for the Teaching of Geography in Secondary Schools. By E. W. H. Briault and D. W. Shave. 7¾ X 5. Pp. 199. 5 plates. 19 maps and diagrams. London : Geo. G. Harrap & Co. Ltd, 1960. 9s. 6d. CARTOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY Manual of Photographic Interpretation. By American Society of Photogrammetry. 10 X 6¾. Pp. XV + 868. 613 figures (including some 600 black and white and colour plates). Washington: American Society of Photogrammetry, 1960. 105s. An Introduction to Mapwork and Practical Geography. By J. Bygott, revised by D. C. Money. 8 X 6V2. Pp. VIII + 264. 164 figures. London: University Tutorial Press, 7th edition, 1960. 17s: MAPS AND ATLASES Britische Inseln, Ftankreich, Belgien, Niederlande, Luxemburg, Wirtschaftshistorische Entwicklung. Historisch Geographisches Kartenwerk. By E. Lehmann, W. Schmeer, R. Ogrissek and H. Weisse. Folder 16 X 11. Pp. 53, text, 28 maps. Leipzig : Verlag Enzyklopadie, 1960. DM 150. Economic Atlas of the Soviet Union. By G. Kish. 10½ x 10½. Pp. 96. 64 maps. 2 end‐paper maps. Ann Arbor : The University of Michigan Press, 1960. \ 10.00. A Historical Atlas of Canada. Edited by D. G. G. Kerr. 12¼ x 9¼. Pp. IX + 120. Toronto : Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd, 1960. $ 5.00. Atlas of Australian Resources. Prepared by the Department of National Development, Canberra. 1953–60. Atlas du Maroc. By the Comité de Géographie du Maroc. 15 sheets, each 64 X 50 cms. with accompanying descriptive handbooks. Rabat: Institut Scientifique Chérifien, 1956 in continuation. Ghana Population Atlas. By T. E. Hilton. 16 X 12. Pp. 40. 17 figs. 6 tables. Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson & Sons for the University College of Ghana, 1960. 50s. The Large Scale County Maps of the British Isles, 1596–1850. A Union List. By E. M. Rodger. 9¾ x 6. Pp. XX + 52. Oxford : The Bodleian Library, 1960. 7s. 6d. Nine Glacier Maps, Northwestern North America. American Geographical Society Special Publication No. 34. 1: 10,000. 1. Lemon Creek Glacier, Alaska. 2. Blue Glacier, Mt. Olympus, Washington. 3. Polychrome Glacier, Alaska. 4. West Gulkana Glacier, Alaska. 5. Worthington Glacier, Alaska. 6. Little Jarvis Glacier, Alaska. 7. Bear Lake Glacier, Alaska. 8. Chikuminuk Glacier, Alaska. 9. McCall Glacier, Alaska. Text 10 X Tit. Pp. 22. 1 map, 15 photographs. New York : The American Geographical Society of New York, 1960. Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Provisional Edition, Ilfracombe Sheet No. 856. 30 x 40¾. J. Ordnance Survey : Chessington, 1961. Paper flat 6s. Paper folded 6s. 6d. How to Use an Atlas: With Answers. By L. F. Hobley & G. R. Davies. 6½ x 4¼. Pp. 136. Numerous illustrations. Glasgow: Blackie & Son, 1960. 4s. 9d.

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.

Horst Mensching

This review discusses the continued publication of the Atlas du Maroc since its initial release in 1956. Edited by the National Committee of Geography of Morocco, the atlas had added nine new thematic maps by 1963, covering topics such as precipitation, bioclimatic zones, metallic mineral deposits, saline water distribution, forest cover, disease geography, and European land use during the colonial period. The maps employ various scales (1:1,000,000 to 1:4,000,000) and are accompanied by explanatory booklets detailing data sources and cartographic methods. These maps provide essential reference material for studying Morocco's physical geography and post-colonial land-use changes.