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This rare 1972 political map of the world (ПОЛИТИЧЕСКАЯ КАРТА МИРА KAPTA-CXEMA) offers a unusual insight into the Soviet Union's educational and propaganda efforts during the height of the Cold War. Printed on a thick plastic film, it demonstrates the experimental approach taken by the Soviet "startup" Experimental Factory of Visual Aids and Demonstration Equipment of the All-Union Society Knowledge, which pioneered new visual forms and technical ideas.

Based on data from April 1972, the map displays country borders, key cities, colonized areas by imperialist countries, and areas with their independence dates. Israel's borders are marked according to the 1947 UN resolution, with demarcation lines in Kashmir and Korea also noted. Taiwan is represented as part of China. The map's limitations in color shading and line thickness on plastic sheets led to a schematic and crude representation of regions and borders.

The map features handwritten additions from the 1970s, identifying key political unions and coalitions opposed to the Warsaw Pact countries. Population figures for larger countries are also noted, as well as OPEC membership for Middle Eastern countries. The scale is not mentioned, and the map is designed to place the USSR as a large red mass at the center of the world.

Such maps were used extensively during lectures led by politruki (political advisors) who aimed to instill fear and mistrust of the outside world beyond the Iron Curtain. Known to have hung in army camps, these maps helped educate young soldiers about the perceived enemies of the state.

This particular 1972 version is not found in WorldCat or the Russian State Library, which holds only the 1968 and 1969 editions. While post-1940s Soviet maps were printed on paper in large quantities, plastic maps had a more limited circulation, with additional handwritten information making this still more unusual. The circulation of this map is estimated to be in the thousands, rendering it a valuable artifact of Soviet history and cartography.