Физико-географический атлас мира

Sališčev presents the Physical-Geographical Atlas of the World as a major Soviet project whose preparation had already begun. He argues that the second volume of the Maritime Atlas and the 1954 World Atlas supplied the cartographic foundations for this more demanding undertaking. The planned atlas was intended to depict, both qualitatively and quantitatively on world maps, the spatial patterns and interrelations of major natural phenomena, synthesizing knowledge from the natural sciences and contributing to further scientific development.

This article introduces the second volume of the World Atlas of Physical Geography, published in 1954. The atlas, measuring 50×33 cm, contains 246 maps and 20 pages of explanatory text, planned in three parts: World, continents, and the USSR. With scales ranging from 1:60,000,000 to 1:10,000,000, it systematically covers themes such as orography, geology, climate, soils, and vegetation, aiming to characterize the geographical environment from general to specific levels. Compiled from original research and data synthesis, and produced through collaboration among Soviet state agencies, the atlas serves as an authoritative reference for geographers and related professionals, while outlining future directions for physical geography as a science.

The World Atlas of Physical Geography summarizes the results of investigations into global natural conditions, containing 243 pages of maps (50×33 cm) and explanatory text, organized into three parts: World, Continents, and the U.S.S.R., progressing from general to specific phenomena. It covers topics such as orography, geology, geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soils, agricultural distribution, vegetation, fauna, and physico-geographical regionalization, based on original research and data generalization, compiled by institutions including the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences, the State Geological Committee, the Hydrometeorological Service, and Moscow State University's Geography Department.

This article examines the features and interrelations of relief maps, including hypsometric and geomorphological maps, in the Physical-Geographical Atlas of the World (1964). The study demonstrates that the adoption of a unified hypsometric scale ensured continuity with earlier atlases and provided a reliable geographic base for compiling geomorphological maps. Hypsometric data, particularly the 200-meter and 1500-meter contours, hold significant geomorphological value in delineating relief types and revealing relationships between land and submarine topography. The article also reviews the atlas's achievements in graphic and color design, noting that the color scheme for geomorphological maps remained experimental. Finally, it discusses broader trends in cartography, emphasizing the role of hypsometric maps as a foundation for thematic mapping and the emerging need for automated map reading and informatization.

The review describes the 1964 Soviet Physical-Geographical Atlas of the World as the product of ten years’ work and notes that its contents were subsequently revised. Its more than 260 pages of color maps, supplemented by about 45 pages of explanatory text, are organized into three sections: global natural environments, including the polar regions and oceans; the physical characteristics of the continents; and the natural features of the Soviet Union. The reviewer regards the maps as embodying a new stage in physical geography and incorporating recent advances across its various branches.