Das Atlaswerk ,,Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Karten“

Summary

Thematic cartography has expanded rapidly in recent decades, producing comprehensive regional and national atlases. The new atlas 'Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Karten' (The Federal Republic of Germany in Maps) is the first comprehensive national atlas of West Germany. Published under the auspices of the Federal Statistical Office, the Institute for Regional Geography and the Institute for Spatial Research, it aims to provide a cartographic inventory of all spatially relevant facts, especially the results of the 1960/61 censuses. The atlas deliberately combines statistical maps with geographic and regional-planning maps, although it is not designed as a planning atlas itself. It will consist of about 93 map sheets in three deliveries, arranged by sections: nature, population, health and education, economy, and regional divisions. The loose-leaf format allows flexible use; scales are 1:1,000,000 for community-level data, 1:2,000,000 for county data, and 1:2,700,000 for comparative multi-map sheets. The first delivery (24 sheets) covers administrative boundaries, soils, land quality, precipitation, groundwater, population density and change, religion, foreign workers, housing, agricultural land use, industry location, and regional assistance areas. Because the maps are largely analytical rather than synthetic, users must integrate them; this is accepted as a necessary trade-off to allow multiple interpretations. The atlas also mirrors Germany's division: a separate national atlas is being prepared for East Germany. The author judges the cartographic execution excellent and the data reliable, but criticises the high price. He argues that the atlas, as an important tool for spatial planning and public education, should be made affordable through public subsidies. Overall, the work promises to become a standard reference in thematic cartography.