Book Reviews: The National Economic Atlas of China

Summary

This review evaluates the newly published *Economic Atlas of China*, a landmark cartographic work that presents the most comprehensive English-language summary of China's complex economic geography to date. The atlas, part of a revived National Atlas project, features 265 full-color maps organized into ten thematic sections—including resources, population, agriculture, industry, transportation, and provincial economic profiles—with data often resolved at the county level. Over 500 distinct variables are mapped, drawing on compilations by more than twenty ministries and key statistical agencies. The review praises the atlas’s superb cartography and high production standards, noting its value as both a reference volume and a source of research inspiration. While the coverage is vast, several omissions are highlighted, such as the absence of per capita income maps and inconsistent provision of data sources, which could limit secondary analyses. Certain maps would also benefit from standardization or relative measures rather than absolute counts. The four accompanying handbooks, though prone to separation from the oversized volume, offer expanded definitions and regional economic sketches that enhance interpretability. Despite these minor shortcomings, the atlas is deemed an indispensable resource for any research library. It not only consolidates an immense amount of economic information but also visually stimulates important geographic questions about regional inequality, development dynamics, and the spatial patterns of contemporary China. Ultimately, the reviewer concludes that the atlas masterfully blends scholarly utility with artistic excellence, setting a benchmark for national economic atlases worldwide.