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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Review of National Geographic Atlas of the World, 12 May 2006
At the full price of over £100, this atlas was rather more than I wanted to pay, but once it was discounted, I purchased a copy and was very pleasantly suprised. It is a large format political atlas published in America by National Geographic. Although it has only 190 map pages compared with 247 for the Times Atlas Comprehensive Edition, the page size and total map area is the largest of any World Atlas. The index of almost 150,000 place names is third only to the Times and the Rand McNally World Atlases. In fact the plates are so large that many of them are available to buy as seperate rolled flat maps.
As expected, the Atlas is best for North and Central America. My favourite plates are those of New England, Alaska, Central America and the Carribean Islands. Europe is not as well mapped as in the large British based atlases, But the large page size means that the European maps are extreamely attractive and informative. There are also unique maps of the smallest countries in Europe including Andorra, Monaco, Lichenstein and The Vatican. Russia is not well mapped, but there are good maps of the polar regions.
For the latest Edition, National Geographic has replaced a very large number of small town plans with a small number of large town plans.
National Geographic has managed to include a very large number of place names in the maps whilst retaining great legibility and clarity, so this is an atlas I can thoroughly reccommend, and at discount price, I would give it five stars rather than four.
Andrew Taylor
Worsley, Manchester
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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
A balanced opinion, 5 Dec 2004
By A Customer
It was with some trepidation that I opened the parcel when this Atlas arrived. I had been thinking about buying a quality World Atlas for some time, I had spent a substantial amount of money and then I read some of the reviews after I had ordered it (there weren't any reviews prior to order due to its recent release). After reading those reviews I nearly sent it back without opening it. How pleased I am that I didn't. This has got to be the best book I own or have ever seen.Regarding the issues relating to the Persian Gulf, I don't know if I have a different copy to everyone else (I suspect not) but of the 5 maps which include the Persian Gulf, 2 refer to it only as the 'Persian Gulf' and the other 3 refer to it as the 'Persian Gulf' with 'Arabian Gulf' written underneath in brackets. I respect the opinions of the reviewers who have given this book a poor rating. The issues they raise are clearly very sensitive and important to them in terms of national identity and territory. If the above description of the references to the 'Persian Gulf', and the other references which people have taken issue with are of such a serious nature to you personally then don't buy the book. However, for everyone else out there who wants an up to date quality Atlas of the World BUY IT, its fantastic. Not only are the land maps beautifully clear the 'extras' (as I will call them) are stunning. Maybe it's my lack of Atlas knowledge but I never imagined the book would contain some of the information it does. Throughout the book these extras are extremely well illustrated and presented. Some of the extras and stunning maps include the following: Natural world - mountains and ocean trenches, tectonics, detailed oceans, climate, biodiversity, human populations, migration patterns, the geography of conflict and terror, economy and trade, energy production and consumption and wonderful detail of the Poles and Ocean Floors. In addition to all this the presentations of Space are tremendous and these include images from the Hubble telescope, brilliant illustrations of the stars, the Moon, Mars, The solar system, the Milky Way and the Universe. Of course a couple of problems with an Atlas of this nature are future boundary changes and places get renamed, but National Geographic have thought of this - the book contains a user name and password to log into the National Geographic website where updates are provide which can be downloaded as .pdf files. The log in site also contains a number of excellent interactive tools. In conclusion, if the Iran centred issues are not particularly important to you buy this Atlas its superb. I would have given it 5 stars were it not for the Iranian centred issues raised by others.
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52 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
Highly reccomended to anyone fascinated with our planet, 19 Jan 2005
What a great book. A beautiful source of endless information.
I bought this book despite having read the poor reveiws regarding what seems to be ONE mistake. Understandably this would cause upset to those connected with the place and anyone padantic enough to degrade an atlas on one "error". You cannot give a whole book a poor reveiw due to this and therefore if you are looking for a 99.999999999999999999999% reliable atlas then i garantee you will not be dissapointed!!!
Friends thought me a bit crazy on buying such an expensive book since it is for reference and not something i needed specifically, especially as i am a tax doging, penniless student! But this is an investment of a life time and i can see myself refering to it again and again for the rest of my life. Not only does it contain excellent maps but also lots of stunning pictures and information on space and planets, and also any political or geographical changes are available on the Nat Geo website so it really will last a lifetime even if the world as we know it changes.
I would not have expected anything less from National Geographic.
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
Quality you would expect the National Geographic, 6 Dec 2004
Clearly this reveiw section is being used to make a political message, what fun!!Having actually owned and used this atlas I can say that it is everything you would expect from National Geographic, high quality, stuffed full of facts and from what I understand of the world as accurate as anyone could hope for, for a document that is frozen at a particular point in time. I would highly recommend this to anyone.
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27 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent Atlas - Bang Up to Date, 7 Dec 2004
By A Customer
I think it is disgraceful and disgusting that reviewers decide to use Amazon as a forum for pushing political debates with regard to naming of territories. Maybe I should complain too that my tiny home village is not listed in the atlas. But that is being silly, and immature. I think the said reviewers should first learn to write English properly before denouncing someone else's work. These comments detract from what is an exceptional Atlas. The edition has a superb introduction into the formation of the earth, languages, cultures, astrology etc. The layout is clear and informative, and makes a fantastic coffee table book. I've had many people comment on it and open it up. It weighs a tonne - no joke - not something you'll tuck under your arm or nip on to the plane with. But it is essential in any good personal library. And as for those silly reviewers - why don't you best start with the children's section of Amazon?
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33 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
Political changes in some names, 25 Nov 2004
I really became disappointed when I saw National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition.
Some changes that seem to be polittically has been made in the new version.
For examples,"Arabian Gulf" has appeared in the Atlas near "Persian Gulf", which according to the last 5000 years, there is no such name anywhere in the world even in the history.
Anyway, as some parts of the Authors are doing politics,or maybe enjoying the Arabian Oil money, I don't advice it to anyone.
It's a very big shame for National Geographic,one of the most important scientific institutes of the world who know themselves as the leader of Geography science, to mix the science and history with dirth politics.
Let them learn that Science is Science and Politics is Politics. New version changes:
1. Persian Gulf, which has always been Persian gulf, is refered to as Arabian Gulf.
2. Kish Island, which is an Iranian island, is refered to as Qeys.
3. Lavan Island, another Iranian island, is called Sheykh Shoeib.
4. Iran-Iraq borderline river, Arvand rud, is called Shat al Arab.
5. Three Iranian islands, Big Tunb, Small Tunb and Abu Musa, are commented as Occupied by Iran. These are non-sense. These islands have been, and will be, Iranian for ever.
6. Mazandaran Sea, a very historical name for the biggest lake in the world, is called Caspian Sea. Thanks for paying attention.
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11 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Latest National Geographic Atlas of the World best yet, 1 Dec 2004
Hear all these losers moaning about some silly stretch of water. What did they all do, read a story in the press and decide that Amazon would be a good forum for debate? Most of them can't put together a coherent sentence of English. National Geographic produce the best maps and magazines and the Eighth Editon of their Atlas of the World is the best yet with stunning cartography, "Arabian Gulf" and all!
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35 of 65 people found the following review helpful:
A fine world atlas from the National Geographic Society., 31 Oct 2000
By A Customer
The National Geographic Society retains its reputation as one of the finest mapmakers of the world with the seventh edition of their large atlas of the world. The maps look the same as the sixth edition, but a fully updated section of urban area maps has been included. Again, colour usage is sparse, but the gray relief shading has improved. As usual, the plates are highly legible and cover the entire page, without white margins. Measured in inches by inches, this world atlas is the largest ever produced, though not the thickest. Especially Asia is somewhat undervalued in this world atlas. But what really makes this atlas more valuable than its predecessor is the thematic part. A large number of topics are elaborately treated. With the 140,000 entry index, this atlas remains in the top 5 of best atlases ever produced.
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17 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
incorrect names, 22 Nov 2004
By A Customer
many of names in this atlas are incorrect
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18 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
wrong information, 23 Nov 2004
Pay money and buy distorted information. Persian gulf and some islands in it changed name overnight just before the last edition of this publication.
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