Sprawozdania z literatury: Bolszoj sowietskij atlas mira I

Summary

This review examines the first volume of the Great Soviet World Atlas, published in Moscow in 1937. Initiated by the Central Executive Committee as a governmental publication, the atlas contains 119 maps covering global and Soviet territories, surpassing all contemporary major atlases in scale. The content prioritizes economic maps, including electrification, coal, metallurgy, chemical, textile, and other industrial distributions, alongside physical geography, climate, and geology. The reviewer notes a significant deficiency in population maps, with only one density and migration map and one schematic ethnic-religious map for the world, while the Soviet section entirely lacks demographic data, possibly reflecting official ideology. Despite this, most maps demonstrate originality and documentary value, particularly climatic and economic ones, and the atlas treats Poland with cartographic loyalty. Technically, world maps employ stereographic cylindrical and Goode's projections, while Soviet maps use conic projections; drawing and printing quality, though not reaching top European standards, adequately serve their purpose.