Um novo Atlas de Portugal. O Atlas do Ambiente

Summary

This paper provides a critical analysis of the initial outputs of the Portuguese Environmental Atlas project (Atlas do Ambiente). Since 1975, the atlas has been published as separate map sheets, with a planned total of 92 maps covering seven thematic areas: physical, biological, biophysical, human, protected natural, degraded, and global environments. The article notes that while the loose-leaf format offers advantages such as easy public access and affordable pricing, significant shortcomings exist, including fragmented overall structure, lack of standardization, insufficient cartographic generalization, inconsistent titles and legends, and poor legibility of certain maps. The author argues that the project aims to fill the gap left by the outdated national atlas and serve both specialists and the general public, but requires improvements in cartographic rigor and information readability.