National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World [Hardcover]

National Geographic Society (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0792269306 | ISBN-13: 978-0792269304 | Publication Date: November 1, 2002

Fully indexed for ease of accessibility, this comprehensive, up-to-date family reference atlas encompasses more than 450 full-color political, physical, and thematic maps, as well as photographs and illustrations, that provide a wealth of information on the nations of the world, climate and weather.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Among purveyors of childlike wonderment and educational advancement, the name National Geographic is one of our most beloved and durable brands. Whether introducing readers to the leaping gazelles of the African veldt or the cosmic nebulae of space, National Geographic-whether in book or magazine form-has always offered glossy, perfect photographs and clean, authoritative captions. With this giant atlas of world geography, National Geographic introduces learners young and old to broad issues of population density, biodiversity, energy consumption and culture. Including more than 450 maps, illustrations and photographs, as well as brief reports on the biggest historical and geological movements of our planet's history, the atlas does what an atlas should do: it gives a big picture of land masses and meteorological patterns, provides an overview of each continents' characteristics, and offers a resource to turn to for science reports, sheer curiosity and even the answers to questions that flummox folks around the dinner table.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This atlas is a smaller version of the standard National Geographic Atlas of the World (National Geographic, 1999). There are both political and physical maps of the continents and the oceans. The colors are outstanding on the smaller regional political maps so there is no confusion as to borders. The book lays flat on all pages, meaning no lost letters or features in the binding margin.

On each regional map page are also information boxes that give brief data and flag pictures for all nations and territories. Inset maps of all major island nations and territories are also provided. Accompanying thematic maps show population density, land use, and weather averages for the regions. World maps with information on the economy, crops, mining, Internet connectivity, and many other topics are presented with text to explain their significance. U.S. maps are given more pages than the rest of the world, so students will find locating U.S. features relatively easy.

The back matter of the atlas contains a useful gazetteer to locate features and places, a glossary of geographic terms as well as a glossary of non-English geographic terms used in the maps, and world city population tables. The atlas also contains several maps of the solar system that place the earth in the solar system and galaxy for a clear understanding of just where we live. One interesting map delineated the oceans and seas of the world, so students won't have to guess where the Andaman Sea or Bay of Fundy are located. Geographic comparison tables will also assist students in comparing the continents and the features of the planet easily.

Altogether, a great package that should be high on the list of titles for school and public libraries that are seeking a solid atlas that won't break the budget this year. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792269306
• ISBN-13: 978-0792269304
• Product Dimensions: 13.7 x 10.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,790,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cartographic Masterpiece, October 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World (Hardcover)

When my children started asking questions about other countries following last year's events, I thought that a good idea would be to buy a new atlas. After canvasing the selection at a local book store, probably 10 of so titles, The National Geographic Family Reference Atlas was a glowing standout. No other atlas contained as much data on as many topics. The maps are a perfect balance between what a child needs for school and what adults need on a regular basis. Stunning maps and depth of information make this a very worthy buy.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Cartoon Version of the World, July 3, 2003

By 

Volney Hill (New Orleans, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World (Hardcover)

This atlas is intellectually demeaning. Of its 352 pages, less than 100 contain geographical maps. No major cities are cartographed. The two pages on Western Europe encompass Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Monaco. The map is so poorly constructed that the island of Gibraltar is indistinguishable from the country of Spain. All 600,000 square miles of this topical part of the world are crammed into the same amount of space as the state of Hawaii. Further, instead of showing the arrondissements of Paris or the subway system in Manhattan, pages are devoted to such ridiculous topics as "fiber optic teledensity" and "global internet connectivity". Certainly these subjects are better covered in other publications, not to mention that they are far less likely to remain relevant than a map of Vancouver, the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. My nephews are once again using our battered 1997 Rand McNally [$$$] road map for this information.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars If the world were only the USA, this would be a good atlas!, October 27, 2003

By 

Richard Thiessen (Abbotsford, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World (Hardcover)

After I purchased this atlas, I realized that this is one of those times when one should actually pick up a copy of a book first in a library or bookstore before ordering it. While the maps themselves are fine, there simply are not enough of them. The atlas focuses on the USA with approximately 30 pages of maps, but the apparently insignificant mass of permafrost and ice to the north of it gets one page! The rest of the world isn't treated much better. There are several very good world atlases that actually deal with entire world. Unfortunately, this isn't one of them.