kartastot

Kartastot is a Finnish term meaning atlases or sets of maps. The singular form, kartasto, denotes a collection of maps often compiled to cover a specific region or subject. The word is formed from kartta (map) and the suffix -sto, which indicates a collective or set, with the plural ending -ot.

In usage, kartastot refer to published collections of maps, which may be in printed form, digital form, or both. They can be regional, national, thematic, or historical. In Finland, kartastot have traditionally been produced by mapping authorities and libraries, and many historical kartastot were organized as multi-volume topographic atlases. Modern kartastot are often provided as online map collections or GIS-ready data sets, allowing users to browse, search, and download map sheets or layers.

The term is primarily a generic linguistic category rather than a specific product name, and it is commonly used in discussions of cartography, library cataloging, and regional planning to describe a cohesive set of maps. It can be used to refer to a broad spectrum of map compilations, from historical surveys to contemporary reference collections, without implying a particular format or publisher.