Geographical Reviews: Atlas Nacional de Cuba

Summary

This review examines the first national atlas of Cuba, published in 1970 in both Spanish and Russian editions, as a collaborative effort between the Cuban and Soviet Academies of Sciences commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Revolution. The atlas comprises 102 pages of maps and 29 pages of text, covering physical geography, economy, population, culture, and history, with data primarily from 1965 to 1969. The review notes the atlas's excellent cartographic quality and printing, yet observes that socialist achievements are not directly evident from the maps themselves, but rather through insets and graphs depicting new industrial installations and social indicators. It also highlights administrative reorganization, including provincial boundary changes and an increase in municipios. Overall, the atlas is deemed a valuable contribution to fundamental knowledge of Cuba.