Classic Milestone: National Atlas

Summary

The national atlas is an important symbol of a country's scientific, technological and cultural level. In the mid-1950s, China included the compilation of a national atlas in its national scientific development plan, and in 1958 established an editorial committee headed by Zhu Kezhen. The project was interrupted by the Cultural Revolution but resumed in 1981 with the approval of the State Council. The atlas was planned in five volumes: general, physical, economic, agricultural and historical. The compilation involved 216 institutions and more than 1,700 experts and scholars, and the volumes were published successively from 1990 to 1999, with Chinese-English bilingual editions and electronic versions. The national atlas systematically summarizes information on China's nature, population, economy, society and history, providing authoritative references for macro decision-making, scientific research and education. It received multiple national awards and high praise from the international cartographic community. The project also promoted the compilation of provincial atlases and cultivated a large number of cartographic talents, making it a milestone in the development of modern Chinese cartography.