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What is an Atlas?

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

An atlas is a collection of maps in book form. Atlases are made for different regions and areas, and are prepared for desk use or travel use. A travel atlas is usually packaged for easy use during a trip, often with spiral bindings so it can be folded flat, and with maps at a large zoom so that they can be easily consulted on the go. A desk atlas features sizes and bindings that are typical for reference books: usually a paperback or hardcover format.

Desk atlases are made for a wide variety of purposes. A popular type of up-to-date atlas shows the current state of the world, with new versions produced fairly frequently to keep up with changing boundaries, name changes, and other important new information. Maps in this sort of atlas usually show the lines of latitude and longitude to help readers pinpoint locations. Further aides to help the reader orient him- or herself are a compass rose to show north, and an indication of the scale used, for example 1” = 1 mile (2.54 cm = 1.61 km). Legends are included as necessary to reveal the meaning of any special symbols.

An atlas will contain maps of all different scales, from local to global.
An atlas will contain maps of all different scales, from local to global.

A desk atlas can also feature a variety of different maps of the same place. For example, to reveal more about a particular place, the atlas might include maps showing population, political boundaries, natural resources, topography, religious affiliation, political affiliation, important products, and natural features. A historical atlas may show these topics as they were many years ago or as they change over time. Related material may appear in charts, essays, timelines, or chronologies.

Maps in an atlas will generally show lines of latitude and longitude.
Maps in an atlas will generally show lines of latitude and longitude.

Since the latitude and longitude indications for places on road trips would be lengthy and complex to keep track of, travel atlases usually show a graphic overlay with letters on the side and numbers along the bottom so that locations can be exactly pinpointed. In addition, locations for each page are listed alphabetically by map and cross referenced to the location in an index, which may also show the population.

Travel atlases are made to be consulted on the go.
Travel atlases are made to be consulted on the go.

Road atlases usually show a combination of natural and built features. It would not be surprising to find universities, airports, national forests, rivers, and highways, as well as cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. A road atlas will often feature a map of the whole country, and then a more detailed map of each of the major political divisions, which in the United States would be the 50 states, with blown up insets of major cities. Neighboring locales are often shown—in the US, that would be Canada and Mexico.

An Atlas is a collection of maps in book form.
An Atlas is a collection of maps in book form.

A road atlas may also have features to point out sight-seeing possibilities, including in the US our National Parks and Recreation Areas, as well as other sites that show the beauty of nature, historic sites, and other tourist attractions. Charts of driving distances augment the system of mileage display besides the roads to help you compute travel time and make choices about the best route.

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HistoricalIndex about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

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Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to HistoricalIndex about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon187284

Wow! it is very interesting to read that kind of reference. It helps my mind become sharp.

Princess17

@FernValley. Yes, GPS devices do have their faults -- I've been taken to the wrong place on several occasions, and it seems like everybody who has one has at least one story of ending up in the middle of nowhere because of weird directions. That's why I try to have a map handy just to compare routes.

Valencia

@princess17 - I couldn't agree more. I do worry though that the skills involved in map reading are being lost to the younger generations. There's a certain kind of pleasure and satisfaction involved when a road trip is navigated the old fashioned way!

aaaCookie

I find it helpful to use an atlas in addition to a GPS. That way, if one does not get you there, you have a backup support to find a new way.

FernValley

I wish people still trusted maps and atlases as much as they used to. While a GPS system can be a great thing, it can also lead you to places that don't exist and not account for things; meanwhile, unlike with an atlas, you might use it without being able to check where you actually are along your path.

Teach88

Long are the days when you have to look in a book in order to view a map. Thanks to technology we now have maps available to us on GPS devices and cell phones. It's amazing how technology changes things -- I know this totally dates me, but I still remember my parents keeping a huge atlas in the car whenever we went on road trips. I have to say, I still do the same, even though I have a GPS equipped car. It's just more of a security thing, I think, especially since GPS machines are not always reliable.

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    • An atlas will contain maps of all different scales, from local to global.
      By: vadimmmus
      An atlas will contain maps of all different scales, from local to global.
    • Maps in an atlas will generally show lines of latitude and longitude.
      By: Peter Hermes Furian
      Maps in an atlas will generally show lines of latitude and longitude.
    • Travel atlases are made to be consulted on the go.
      By: dmitrimaruta
      Travel atlases are made to be consulted on the go.
    • An Atlas is a collection of maps in book form.
      By: Anna
      An Atlas is a collection of maps in book form.