The world atlas (English edition of Atlas Mira, 2nd edition)

Summary

Rudolf Voigt reviews the 1967 international English-language edition of the Soviet World Atlas (Atlas Mira, second edition). He praises its cartography, printing, relief depiction, and detailed maps of the USSR, but criticizes outdated Western European information and the failure to distinguish motorways from other roads. He interprets boundary depictions in divided Germany, Korea, Vietnam, and Israel as reflecting Soviet political positions. These shortcomings, he concludes, prevent an unqualified ranking as the best available world atlas; he also considers its DM 280 price disproportionately high.