National Atlas of Cuba: Design, Implementation, Experience

Summary

The National Atlas of Cuba, published in 1970, was the first comprehensive cartographic work of its kind in Latin America, produced jointly by the Institutes of Geography of the Cuban and Soviet Academies of Sciences. This paper outlines its conception, content, and the experience gained during its preparation. The atlas comprises about 170 maps organized into eight thematic series: introductory, natural conditions and resources, agriculture, industry, transport and external economic links, population, health care, education and culture, and history. It synthesizes extensive data from collaborative field surveys and existing sources, presenting new scientific findings on geology, geomorphology, climate, soils, oceanography, and economic activities. Particular emphasis is placed on applied maps for resource assessment, agricultural planning, and infrastructure development. Social and political maps highlight the achievements of the Cuban Revolution in education, public health, and national sovereignty. Drawing on this project, the authors argue that a true national atlas is defined not by thematic breadth alone but by its designated function as a tool for national development planning, rational resource use, and the deployment of productive forces. The concept requires flexibility in structure and content to reflect each country’s unique natural and socio-economic conditions and the uneven state of territorial knowledge. The Cuban Atlas exemplifies this approach, demonstrating the importance of national atlases for both practical governance and the advancement of geographical science, particularly in developing regions.