National and Regional Atlases: A Bibliographic Survey

Summary

This bibliographic survey, compiled by Dr. W. Stams of the Section of Geodesy and Cartography at the Technical University of Dresden and published by the International Cartographic Association (ICA), systematically documents national and regional atlases published up to and including 1978. The article first reviews the development of regional atlases, tracing their origins to the mapping of the earth and the evolution of geographical atlases, and introduces methods and forms for their bibliographic recording. Regarding source material, the author evaluated numerous existing atlas bibliographies and, through international cooperation—including the IGU Commission on National and Regional Atlases and its successor, the ICA-IGU Working Group on Environmental Atlases—sent draft lists to 80 experts in 60 countries, yielding significant additions. The survey classifies and typifies atlases by territorial extent (e.g., national, regional) and content (e.g., comprehensive, thematic), and analyzes chronological development, distributional breakdown of types, regional grouping, and publication status. The main bibliography is organized by country or region, covering Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa, the Americas, and polar areas, supplemented by an appendix on Indian atlases and a supplement section. The article emphasizes that national atlases constitute a special class of regional atlases, representing the most concentrated form of information on a state's natural, economic, social, and cultural image, distinct in scale and content. Despite incomplete data from some countries due to non-response, gaps were partially filled through collections such as the German State Library. Ultimately, this bibliography serves as a vital reference for cartography, geography, and regional studies, with prospects for future updates.