The Times Atlas of the World: Mid-Century Edition, Vol. II: South-West Asia and Russia

Summary

G. R. Crone reviews Volume II, Southwest Asia and Russia (1959), which completes the mid-century edition of The Times Atlas of the World. He highlights nine USSR sheets at 1:5,000,000, compiled with acknowledged reliance on Soviet atlases including Atlas Mira, and an index of over 40,000 entries using systematic Russian transliteration. He notes difficulties interpreting transliterated geographical terms and administrative labels, recommends politically coloured maps, and criticizes the Everest map’s white glaciers for creating an inverted relief effect. He praises the execution and landform depiction of most maps and judges the completed atlas distinctive in its coverage and scales.