Atlas Narodov Mira; Chislennost' i Rasseleniye Narodov Mira

Chauncy D. Harris reviews Atlas of the Peoples of the World (1964) and its companion, Numbers and Distribution of the Peoples of the World (1962). The atlas uses 106 color plates to depict population density and ethnic distributions, grouping approximately 1,600 peoples into 910 ethnic groups. Colors, symbols, and bands indicate ethnic relationships, sparse settlement, and mixed populations; maps and tables share a consistent classification, and the index supplies English equivalents of ethnic names. The companion provides fuller statistics, explanatory text, and source references. Harris praises the works’ coverage and precision, including their explicit representation of Berbers and Kurds, but questions the failure to identify Urdu-mother-tongue Pakistanis separately and their allocation among other groups. He also notes that the atlas does not depict the use of official languages or the distribution of expanding languages such as English, French, and Russian.