In one of the maps of Azerbaijan dating back to the Soviet period, the country’s regions were classified not only by geographical boundaries but also by their level of educational and cultural development. On the map, facilities such as technical schools, theaters, circuses, music schools, and philharmonic halls were marked with special symbols above cities, while regions were distinguished by different colors. This visual approach clearly demonstrated how culture and education were distributed across the country during that period.

    In your opinion, were these divisions based on real needs? Do such visual maps still exist today?

    Speaking to the news portal Bizimyo.info, Nazim Garayli, a research fellow at the Institute of Geography and a specialist in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), stated that the maps were prepared on the basis of factual data:

“I believe that this map most likely comes from an atlas published in 1979. The maps were produced during the Soviet period. However, such maps are not found in modern school atlases. At the same time, similar maps can be found in the National Atlas of Azerbaijan. The National Atlas was published in 2014 and is currently available at the Institute of Geography. These maps were prepared based on real needs and factual data. I think they were compiled using statistical indicators, with information presented through diagrams and color schemes. In other words, these are not maps projecting the future, but maps reflecting the actual situation at the time. These maps were intended to help people make use of real data.”

 bizimyol.info