Book reviews: National Atlas of Afghanistan

Summary

This review assesses the National Atlas of Afghanistan, edited by Andreas Dittmann (Bonn et al.: Scientia Bonnensis, 2014). Against the backdrop of more than thirty years of conflict, a lack of reliable statistical data and politically sensitive ethno-linguistic divisions, the atlas represents a daring and largely successful academic endeavour. It contains 43 large-format map pages complemented by explanatory texts, diagrams and statistics, organised into six sections: natural conditions and resources; economy and agriculture; public and private services; culture and history; human dimensions; and seven city plans of major urban centres. The methodological approach combines province-based statistical mapping, environmental and socio-economic analysis, and comparisons of historical and current urban development data. The atlas updates knowledge on Afghanistan's physical landscape, agricultural patterns (which show remarkable persistence despite warfare), ethnic and linguistic diversity, the spatial distribution of health and education facilities between 2001 and 2009, and rapid urbanisation in cities such as Kabul and Herat. The review praises the high quality of cartographic design and the effective integration of text and maps. Critical remarks concern the uneven depth of some commentaries and the omission of relevant pre-war French-language and anthropological research. Nevertheless, the atlas is seen as an impressive contribution to Afghan state-building and a valuable reference for regional planning, academic teaching and political decision-making.