Encyclopedic World Atlas

A complete geographical reference work for home or business use, the second edition of Oxford's Encyclopedic World Atlas provides authoritative full-color maps, engaging and informative profiles, and up-to-date statistics for every country in the world. Comprehensive and easy to use, it is an invaluable resource for project work, research, and as a general home reference.
The second edition of the Encyclopedic World Atlas features newly updated and revised text and hundreds of place name and boundary changes, including the nine new South African provinces, the extensive reshaping of the former Soviet Republics, and the new African nation of Eritrea. Each continent is introduced by maps of the whole region: a physical map, a political map, and smaller maps concerned with climate, natural vegetation, and population distribution. The coverage for each country features its own map and a handy statistical table putting a wealth of facts--from main industries to adult literacy rates--at your fingertips. The engaging and well-written profiles describe the main features of the country's landscape, history, culture, and economy (often including in-depth treatment of special topics, such as the Great Divide or the Korean War).
In addition, the Atlas offers a new map that shows current territorial disputes such as those in the former Yugoslavia, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Caucasus region, and Ecuador and Peru. And the 32-page Introduction to World Geography section, beautifully illustrated with colorful maps, charts, graphs, and diagrams, provides an integrated look at world geography, from the solar system to plate tectonics, and from population and politics to quality of life and our global ecosystem. Drawn by George Philip Ltd., one of Europe's finest cartographers, the full-color topographic maps combine relief shading and contours with layer coloring to provide a superb visual impression of the land surface. Over 160 climate graphs provide a detailed analysis of local climate conditions, and more than 200 national flags are reproduced, in full color, with information on their origin and meaning. The 25,000-name index, completely updated for this edition, provides quick reference to the maps through an easy-to-use letter/number grid system, and includes geographical features such as mountains, rivers, and deserts.
Meticulously crafted and reflecting the latest political developments, Oxford's Encyclopedic World Atlas is second to none in the superb quality of its maps, the breadth of its international coverage, and its easy-to-use convenience. It is a complete geographical reference tool for every home, school, library, or business.