Comptes rendus: Le nouvel Atlas national de Cuba

Summary

In 1989, the Institute of Geography and the Cuban Institute of Geodesy and Cartography of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba published a new edition of the National Atlas, nearly two decades after the first edition of 1970. This monumental work, directed by Gladstone Oliva Gutiérrez with the assistance of dozens of authors and scientific advisors, comprises over 200 large-format pages (54×64 cm) featuring 627 maps of Cuba, the Caribbean, and the world at various scales, supplemented by 61 color photographs and more than 700 diagrams, profiles, and graphs. Organized into 24 thematic sections, the atlas covers both natural conditions (geophysics, geology, relief, karst, climate, water resources, seas, soils, flora and fauna, landscapes) and human and economic aspects (population, natural resources, socio-cultural facilities, agriculture, sugar economy, industry, transport, economic regionalization, and environmental issues), concluding with a section on "History and Revolution" that maps key moments in Cuban history and its international engagement. Compared to the first edition, this atlas demonstrates considerable progress in cartographic technique and content depth, making it an essential reference for anyone seeking to understand Cuba's geography or conduct research on the country.