Some problems of industrial maps in national atlases

Summary

This paper examines key issues in the compilation of industrial maps for national atlases, using the preparation of the new Atlas of the Czechoslovak Republic as its context. It argues that industrial maps should form the core of economic cartography within a national atlas. Three principal problems are identified: first, establishing a base data network for industrial distribution based on geographic units of population and production concentration rather than administrative boundaries; second, creating a simple and general industrial classification scheme to facilitate international comparability; and third, selecting appropriate indices of industrial capacity, such as employment figures or physical output. The paper also addresses the complexity of representing economic-geographic relations, suggesting supplementary schematic diagrams or the selective use of relevant base map features. It concludes that the overarching goal should be the maximum feasible unification of national atlas content, contributing to international peaceful coexistence.