USSR苏联
Curatorial Note
AI-curated draftThe USSR, which existed from 1922 to 1991, developed a distinctive tradition of national atlas-making rooted in the state's centralized planning and scientific ambitions. The five atlases in this collection, spanning 1939 to 1983, reflect this legacy. The tradition began with the ambitious Great Soviet World Atlas project, whose second volume (1939) was praised by contemporaries as among the finest cartographic works ever produced, despite delays caused by the war. Subsequent editions, such as the 1962 Atlas of the USSR and its 1963 English key, were produced under the Chief Administration of Geodesy and Cartography, emphasizing systematic coverage of the vast territory, from the Soviet North to the Far East. Editorial practice favored comprehensive thematic mapping—physical, economic, and administrative—with meticulous attention to detail and multi-color offset printing. These atlases served both as scientific reference tools and as ideological showcases of Soviet achievement. Their influence extended beyond national borders: the English-language key made the 1962 atlas accessible to international audiences, while reviews in Western journals acknowledged the technical excellence of Soviet cartography. The 1983 edition marked the culmination of this tradition, offering a mature synthesis of decades of geographic knowledge. Today, these atlases stand as enduring artifacts of a state that invested heavily in mapping its own vastness, and as benchmarks for the history of 20th-century cartography.
The Shelves
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Article1940About the maps of Volume II of BSAM
М. А. Сергеев
This article reviews the second volume of the Great Soviet Atlas of the World (BSAM), focusing on the quality and content of its maps covering the Soviet North and Far East. The authors, M. A. Sergeev and Prof. B. Dobrynin, provide a detailed professional assessment of both general and regional maps. The general maps—including political-administrative maps of the USSR and RSFSR, population density maps, and an economic map of the North—are praised for their clarity and informative value. At the same time, the reviewers point out specific defects, such as misplacement of some settlements on river banks and omissions of certain economic indicators (e.g., reindeer herding, marine hunting areas). The regional maps are commended for their effective use of auxiliary maps and insets to enhance readability, with examples from Krasnoyarsk Krai, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast, and the Far East. The authors conclude that the atlas volume provides an integral, accurate, and up-to-date representation of the economic development of the Soviet North, reflecting major achievements in cartography and geological/geographical research. It serves as an invaluable teaching aid and a reliable source for economic researchers. The article also notes the difficulty of compiling such maps due to the scarcity of published economic data on the North, making the volume a particularly valuable scientific product.
- Article1944The great soviet world atlas
This review evaluates the Great Soviet World Atlas, acclaimed as the finest atlas ever published. Part I has appeared; later volumes were delayed by the war. The atlas features multi-colour offset printing, quality paper, removable maps, and high publication costs. Volume I covers world and Soviet thematic maps of soils, vegetation, trade, population, minerals, and a revised Koeppen climatic map. Because the Russian text was inconvenient, Syracuse University translated all titles and legends of Volume I into English, making it accessible. The atlas and translation can be consulted at the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, which also helps institutions acquire them.
From the Physical Collection
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