Some remarks on the Atlas of the USSR

Summary

D. D. Lavrov reviews the Atlas of the USSR, published in 1962 by the Main Administration of Geodesy and Cartography of the USSR Ministry of Geology and Mineral Protection. This general reference atlas combines geographical reference, physical and economic maps, compiled through collaboration between subject specialists and cartographers. Lavrov praises the reference maps’ readable settlements and relief, the physical maps’ scientific content and well-chosen colors, and the economic maps’ supplementary growth curves and diagrams. He particularly commends the geological, tectonic, Quaternary deposits, geomorphological and vegetation maps. His criticisms address missing physiographic and economic regionalization maps, the mineral-resources map’s pale-green background and omission of peat workings, and the lack of maps showing human transformation of nature. He also examines the economic maps’ methods: some agricultural maps contain too little information, the state-farm map omits the numerical value of its dots, and regional economic maps lack a scale for quantitative symbols. He recommends dot mapping for crop distributions and finds the map of major Seven-Year Plan construction projects overloaded. Lavrov values the 25,000-entry place-name index, judges the atlas superior in content and quality to the 1954 geographical atlas for secondary-school teachers, and concludes that its shortcomings do not diminish its usefulness to teachers, students, agricultural workers and general readers.