L'Atlas de Belgique

Summary

This article argues that a national atlas is a reliable test of a country's development in scientific geography. Unlike dictionary-style atlases, which merely assemble selected data, a national atlas should systematically and comprehensively present the nation's geographical phenomena. After reviewing major national atlases worldwide, it focuses on the Belgian National Committee of Geography's organization of the Atlas de Belgique: its working methods, planned content (covering geomorphology, climate, hydrography, biology, human, economic and regional geography), format, and the participation of the Military Geographic Institute. State-funded and expected to issue its first plates by the end of 1947, the atlas is regarded as an essential scientific tool and cultural ambassador.