National Atlases: Their History, Analysis, and Ways to Improvement and Standardization

Summary

This monograph provides a comprehensive review of the history, analysis, and ways to improvement and standardization of national atlases. Although the concept of national atlases can be traced back to the 18th century, their true development began in the late 19th century, with the Atlas of Finland (1899) serving as the first exemplar. The article identifies three prerequisites for the creation of national atlases: the extension of topographical surveys, advancements in natural sciences, and the accumulation of statistical data. These atlases not only provide a complete scientific picture of a country's physical nature, population, economy, and cultural development but also attract the interest and support of the scientific community. The article analyzes the development of national atlases during and after the two World Wars, with particular attention to the cases of the Atlas of France and the National Atlas of India. The Atlas of France (published 1931-1946) represents typical characteristics of national atlases in capitalist countries, while the National Atlas of India (published 1957) demonstrates how newly independent nations utilized atlases to support national development planning. The article also discusses various challenges faced during the compilation of national atlases, including data collection, map design, printing quality, and publication timelines, and proposes ways for improvement and standardization. Through comparative analysis of different national atlases, the article emphasizes their significant value in displaying national geographical characteristics, promoting scientific research, and supporting national decision-making.