L'Atlas du Survey National

Summary

This article presents the background, content, and publication of the Atlas du Survey National, a national atlas of Belgium. Originating from a 1947 proposal by the National Planning Commission to provide a scientific basis for future national land-use planning, the atlas was compiled by the National Survey Service, established in 1949 within the Administration of Urbanism. Based on the administrative map of Belgium, the atlas covers twenty thematic categories including climate, orography, population, agriculture, industry, transport, tourism, and housing. By 1957, sixty colored plates had been published, each accompanied by explanatory notes. The article also discusses the atlas's distribution, related studies, and acknowledgments. This publication placed Belgium among the few countries possessing such a national atlas.