Review of the National Atlas of the United States

Summary

This paper reviews The National Atlas of the United States, published in 1970, from the perspective of cartographic technology. Compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey with over eighty federal agencies and more than twenty academic societies, this is a large comprehensive atlas. The paper reviews its compilation history spanning nearly twenty years from the 1952 sample to official publication, outlines its structure comprising general reference maps, special subject maps, and a geographic name index, and analyzes its mathematical foundations (format, scale system, projection) and issues of unification and coordination (geographic base maps, content and indicators, data, representation methods, and cartographic design). It also points out defects in its topic selection for physical and socio-economic maps, while introducing its strengths in both general reference and thematic maps. Finally, it emphasizes the value of studying this atlas for the compilation of China's national atlas.