The fifth edition of the atlas of Finland: Thematic and methodological guidelines

Editorial chairman Stig Jaatinen describes the fifth edition of the Atlas of Finland, planned from 1971, with compilation beginning in 1974 and the first folio, Forestry (234), published in 1977. Its planned 26 folios cover 47 thematic areas grouped into physical environment; population, economy and communications; and society, culture and living conditions. Joint publication by the Geographical Society of Finland and the Finnish National Survey depended on state support and cooperation among editors, scholars and information-producing institutions. Production shifted from manual work to automation, with Thematic FINGIS used for later subject areas. Jaatinen emphasizes geographical analysis and synthesis, careful thematic definitions, regional precision and independent editorial scrutiny of official data. Examples in the linked folios include the Geology folio's combination of a coloured 1:1 million Quaternary-deposits map with small-scale maps of its individual components, comparable diagram scales for fish catches in folio 232–233, and coordinated colour schemes in Forestry and Biogeography/Nature Conservation. He credits the edition with providing an extensive foundation for regional information, while noting publication delays, uneven methodological coherence, excessively detailed classifications, overloaded cartograms and difficulties coordinating graphics with multilingual text.