The history of The Compact Geography of The Netherlands

In 1964, the Council of Europe asked member states to nominate experts in the field of geography, with the aim of improving the presentation of the subject - or components of it - in textbooks. The result was the establishment in the same year of the IDG in Utrecht. The flood of enquiries which followed showed a demand for a short summary of the geography of the Netherlands.
In 1970, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commissioned the IDG to prepare a short review, with maps, of the geography of the Netherlands. This was aimed primarily at teachers and textbook authors writing or teaching about the Netherlands.    

In addition to the Compact Geography of the Netherlands, the IDG also published in 1977 the first edition of the Pictorial Atlas of the Netherlands. The two publications were closely related: the Pictorial Atlas expanded on themes in the Compact Geography, using photographs, maps, and explanatory notes.
When both publications were due for reprinting, it was decided to combine them in a single edition, using the title of the original publication. Over the years this publication was updated and expanded.
In 1999 the IDG ceased to exist, on which the Royal Dutch Geographical Society decided to continue its core activities.