Morocco摩洛哥

J. Sladek

Atlas Maroc, initiated by the Comité de Géographie du Maroc in French Morocco and published in Rabat from 1954/55, was designed to systematically cover all branches of geography. Prepared by an interdisciplinary team led by J. Célérier, the atlas comprised fifty-four sheets in eleven groups, including biogeography, oceanography and history. Its substantial human and economic geography sections received particular attention, while Spanish Morocco was omitted owing to lacking preliminary studies. By the time of review, four sheets had appeared—livestock breeding and railway transport maps—with clear hypsometric bases and supplements of 30–50 pages. A notable freight map distinguished mineral traffic from phosphate/coal and agricultural flows. The reviewer praised the project but urged rapid completion to avoid it remaining an unfinished torso.

Waldbaur, H.

The first four plates of a new national atlas of Morocco have been published. The large format (56 × 47 cm) allows scales of 1:2,000,000 for full-page maps and 1:4,000,000 for layouts with four maps per sheet. Full-page maps are printed with hypsometric tints in four delicate brownish tones, whereas the multi-map sheets appear on a white background. Plate 40a depicts the distribution of sheep and goats using graduated red and green circles in three size classes, complemented by a diagram of population variations since 1940 and an inset map of sheep breeds. Plate 40b comprises four separate maps presenting cattle and pigs, dromedaries, horses, and mules and donkeys. Plate 44a shows railway lines classified by track gauge and motive power, passenger traffic at major stations through sector diagrams, and city plans with environs maps of important localities. Plate 44b visualizes total freight traffic as well as flows of mining and agricultural products in four maps. The atlas is accompanied by a series of “Études et Documents” (initially providing transliteration rules for Arabic and Berber names) and an explanatory booklet for each sheet containing text maps and statistical tables. This ambitious cartographic undertaking is commended with best wishes for a smooth continuation and successful completion.

Jean Dresch

This article reviews the first sheets of the Atlas of Morocco, published in 1955 as a result of a project launched in 1951. Modeled on the Atlas of France, this new atlas aims to exploit the considerable scientific documentation accumulated in Morocco during the twentieth century, with each thematic plate accompanied by explanatory notes that together form a regional geography. The initial plates cover livestock raising and railways, including sheep and goats, cattle and other animals, and rail traffic. The reviewer considers these maps useful and original, though he notes the absence of a pasture map and incomplete railway technical data. The project is promising, with several further plates planned for 1956.

I. B. F. Kormoss

This article reviews the first five published sheets of the Atlas du Maroc, issued between 1954 and 1956 under the direction of F. Joly. The reviewed sheets cover two main themes: livestock (sheets 40a-c) and railways (sheets 44a-b). The livestock maps detail animal distribution, breeds, and markets, while the railway maps depict the network, traffic density, and freight composition. The review notes that the atlas employs a simplified cartographic approach compared to other national atlases, resulting in clear and effective maps, despite minor shortcomings in lettering quality. The atlas fills a significant gap for Morocco and, with an ambitious production plan exceeding 100 maps, constitutes a valuable geographical reference work.

This article reports on the progress of the Atlas of Morocco, prepared by the Geography Committee of Morocco. The second batch of cartographic works published in 1958 includes a forest-map notice, an annual precipitation map with accompanying insets, and a four-sheet map of European rural holdings. These items cover annual rainfall, rainy days, dry months, the pluviometric network, and the size and production of European farms. The maps were compiled by specialists at the Institut Scientifique Chérifien and other institutions, with explanatory notes documenting data and methods. Further sheets on saline waters, maritime traffic, hydrography, and hydrology are planned, continuing the systematic construction of the national atlas.

W. B. Fisher

This review assesses the Atlas du Maroc, produced by the Comité de Géographie du Maroc. The atlas comprises loose maps with explanatory handbooks, aiming at some 54 topics and 150–200 maps covering physical, human, and economic geography of Morocco. The reviewer notes the generally high technical quality and the value of the accompanying handbooks, while pointing out that human and economic maps may quickly become outdated and that some sheets appear relatively empty and could be reduced in scale. Nevertheless, the publication is timely and remarkable, offering a model worthy of attention.

Ena L. Yonge

This article is a comprehensive review of regional atlases, written by Ena L. Yonge. The author begins by noting that, given the ever-increasing flood of atlases from around the world, individual reviews of each publication are impossible; therefore, a summary survey is adopted. She also stresses that no single reviewer can be sufficiently expert in all aspects of geography, cartography, and linguistics to render sound critical judgments. The roughly one hundred regional atlases discussed are grouped primarily by continent or large region and then arranged alphabetically by country. In the European section, the author evaluates national and thematic atlases from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, and other countries, covering topics such as road transport, historical geography, climate, population, economy, and land use. She comments in detail on cartographic quality, scales, printing techniques, and practical utility. For example, the Austrian national atlas, directed by Hans Bobek and Erik Arnberger under the Commission for Land Planning of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, was published in five annual parts and demonstrates excellent cartography and printing. The Atlas de Belgique and the Atlas du Survey National supplement each other with plates on hydrogeology, phytogeography, agriculture, basic industries, waterways, and railways. The Climatic Atlas of Czechoslovakia is praised for its beautiful large-scale maps of temperature and precipitation. The article then turns to North America, focusing on state atlases in the United States, including Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. These atlases cover agriculture, forestry, economic resources, historical geography, and population, often compiled by universities or state agencies for educational and planning purposes. In the South American section, the author highlights notable publications such as the Atlas do Brasil, the Atlas de economía colombiana, and Venezuelan climatic and forest atlases. Throughout the review, the author acknowledges the scholarly value and cartographic achievements of many works while also pointing out occasional problems such as overly large formats or inappropriate scales. Overall, the article provides a broad and informative reference guide to regional atlases for scholars in geography, cartography, and related fields.