L'Atlas de Belgique

Summary

This article presents the background, organizational framework, compilation plan, and publication progress of the Atlas of Belgium. It first distinguishes national atlases from dictionary-type atlases, emphasizing their role as systematic scientific tools for presenting a country's geographical knowledge. The article details the project's development since 1932 under the National Committee of Geography, including the establishment of the Atlas Commission in 1946. It provides the complete plan of the atlas, covering eight major sections—physical geography, biogeography, human geography, economic geography, regional geography, and administration—totaling over fifty plates. Technical specifications such as format, scales, and multilingual presentation are described. The publication status is reported: approximately thirty plates have been printed by the Military Geographical Institute since 1948, with subscription details provided. The author concludes by highlighting the atlas's contributions to advancing geographical research in Belgium, fostering international academic exchange, and enhancing national education.