Atlas över Sverige: Redogörelse för dess tillkomst och några synpunkter på den kartografiska framställningen

Summary

This article, written by Magnus Lundqvist, provides a detailed account of the creation, organization, content, and cartographic methods of the Atlas of Sweden. It begins by reviewing the rapid development of scientific research in the late 19th century, which led to an immense accumulation of data, making it difficult for researchers in other fields to access and overview results, particularly geographers. Early efforts to address this included the publication of atlases, such as the Berghaus Physical Atlas (1838-1848). Finland's Atlas of Finland (1899) became a prototype for national atlases, inspiring Sweden, though plans were delayed due to funding issues. In 1940, the Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography revived the project, and in 1943, the author presented a detailed proposal. With major donations from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, state lottery funds, and Esselte AB, work began in 1945. The article highlights collaborations with institutions like the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Geological Survey of Sweden, and the Meteorological-Hydrological Institute, as well as contributions from numerous scholars. The atlas comprises 150 map sheets and 200-300 pages of text across 14 sections, covering geophysics, geology, hydrology, biogeography, population, agriculture, forestry, industry, communications, trade, economy, social conditions, and culture. In the agriculture section, the article discusses the combined use of absolute and relative cartographic methods, such as dot maps for crop distribution and proportional dot sizes to reflect farm size groups. It also details the cartographic process using municipal statistics, including data grouping, isarithmic interpolation, and scale adjustments, notably using a smaller scale for Norrland to enhance comparability. The article concludes that sections on forestry and industry were delayed due to post-war changes, but economic data work had begun.