Национальные атласы социалистических стран на службе народного хозяйства. Экономико-географические карты в национальных атласах

Summary

This article examines the role of national atlases in the national economies of socialist countries, with a particular focus on the place of economic-geographic maps within them. It begins by noting that a key task of modern geographical sciences is the comprehensive study of nature, population, and economy, with economic geography's core mission being the study of the geographical distribution of social production. Under socialist planned economies, scientifically addressing issues related to production location, the optimal conditions for various industries and enterprises, and the integrated development of regional economies holds significant practical importance. Economic-geographic maps and atlases are identified as the most suitable format for presenting research results, making them accessible and useful for the national economy. The article criticizes the contemporary practice where most atlases were mere collections of statistical cartograms, failing to demonstrate the interconnections between geographical phenomena. Citing the 1958 'Atlas of the Byelorussian SSR' as a positive example, the author praises its innovative methods in complex economic-geographic mapping, which successfully depicted the economic characteristics of various regions. The discussion then turns to the practical application of such maps in planning, noting a historical dominance of sectoral planning over regional approaches, with the latter gaining increasing importance. Finally, the article underscores the necessity of economic cooperation among socialist countries, particularly within the framework of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON). The author argues that coordinated national atlases would greatly facilitate the assessment of natural and economic resources, aiding in the coordination of production plans, deepening international specialization, and rationalizing the distribution of productive forces. The article concludes by proposing the establishment of a coordinating commission to unify the themes, legends, scales, and cartographic methods of national atlases, thereby laying the groundwork for a future comprehensive international atlas of the socialist camp, serving the common developmental goals of these nations.