Introduction to Foreign Atlases: *Belgium Atlas*

Summary

The Atlas de Belgique is a large comprehensive national atlas compiled by the Belgian National Atlas Committee, initiated in 1947 and published in loose-leaf form from 1951 to 1972, comprising 53 plates covering physical and socioeconomic conditions. It is well printed, with particularly detailed geological and forest maps, population maps showing dynamic changes, and economic maps combining absolute and relative indicators, accompanied by explanatory texts. From 1957 to 1958, another atlas, the National Survey Atlas of Belgium, was compiled based on the original, expanding themes essential for planning, architecture, environmental protection and tourism, using graded ratio maps and symbols, with all sources noted, for educational and practical use. The two atlases reflect Belgium's advanced cartographic standards and provide significant value for geographical research and spatial planning.