Moderne Atlaskartographie im Spiegel von National- und Regionalatlanten - Bestandsaufnahme und Entwicklungslinien

Summary

In the available opening and closing sections, Ferjan Ormeling surveys modern national and regional atlas cartography through production, distribution, modes of use, and links to data files. He notes vigorous atlas production in Eastern Europe and Asia, while maintenance and updating after publication are not always assured. Print, CD-ROM, and web atlases can be combined to exploit their respective strengths in visual presentation, data storage, and continuing updates. Digital atlases support viewing, interaction, analysis, data mining, and the visualization of linked datasets. Swiss and Austrian examples address multivariate mapping, adaptive legends, zooming, layer management, and the balance between user flexibility and cartographic legibility. The planned third edition of the Dutch national atlas would draw directly on mapping and statistical agencies’ datasets through the national geospatial data infrastructure to generate maps. The closing discussion evaluates the National Atlas of the Federal Republic of Germany. Ormeling calls for fuller explanations of volume design, data gaps, substitute sources, and editorial compromises, while praising the mapping of cultural participation and everyday life, the consistent integration of contributions from numerous authors, and the final volume’s portrayal of life stages and social life in Germany.