First Volume of the Soviet World Atlas

Summary

This review assesses the first volume of the Great Soviet World Atlas, published in 1937. Authorized by the Soviet government and directed by Dr. V. E. Motylev with a staff of 175 cartographers, the atlas aims to provide a comprehensive cartographic representation of the world's physical, economic, and social features. Volume I contains 168 plates covering world maps and maps of the USSR, employing diverse projections and up to twenty colors to depict industrial, agricultural, and resource data in exceptional detail. The atlas achieves top international standards in cartographic technique and data richness, though it has limitations such as Russian-only legends and missing graphic scales on some maps. Despite its high price, the atlas represents a major contribution to world geography, offering unprecedented material for Soviet geographical research.