Besprechungen: Atlas of Israel

Summary

This review discusses the second English edition of the Atlas of Israel, published in 1970 by the Survey of Israel and Elsevier Publishing Company. The atlas comprises 71 map sheets covering physical, human, and economic geography as well as history. Compared to the original Hebrew edition (1956–1964), this revised and condensed version incorporates areas under Israeli administration since the 1967 Six-Day War—Judea, Samaria, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights—but excludes the Sinai Peninsula due to scale and data limitations. The atlas is organized into 15 thematic sections, with the most extensive being “History” (12 sheets) and “Cartography” (13 sheets). A notable feature is its emphasis on both current conditions and temporal changes, alongside scientific rigor and exemplary cartography. Some maps include accuracy notes or source citations, and land-use maps differentiate between the 1950s and 1960s. Overall, the Atlas of Israel holds a distinctive position among national atlases, meriting attention for both content and cartographic methodology.