Pakistan巴基斯坦

Curatorial Note

The national atlas tradition of Pakistan is rooted in the legacy of the Survey of Pakistan, an institution inherited from the British colonial mapping apparatus. The earliest volumes in this collection, dating from 1985, 1986, and 1990, were all produced under the title 'Atlas of Pakistan' by the Survey of Pakistan. These early editions established a consistent cartographic style, focusing on physical geography, administrative divisions, and thematic data such as population and land use. In 2012, the title shifted to 'Atlas of Islamic Republic of Pakistan,' reflecting a renewed official identity. The 2021 and 2023 editions, the latter credited to the Surveyor General of Pakistan, demonstrate a continued commitment to updating national cartographic knowledge. Across these six volumes, the editorial approach has remained centralized and state-driven, prioritizing accuracy and uniformity over experimental design. The collection serves as a chronological record of Pakistan's evolving national self-representation, and its endurance over four decades underscores the atlas's role as a stable instrument of statecraft and public education.