The only world atlas updated annually, guaranteeing that users will find the most current geographic information, Oxford's Atlas of the World is the most authoritative atlas on the market. Full of crisp, clear cartography of urban areas and virtually uninhabited landscapes around the globe, the Atlas is filled with maps of cities and regions at carefully selected scales that give a striking view of the Earth's surface. Opening with world statistics and a colorful, instructive 48-page Introduction to World Geography--beautifully illustrated with tables and graphs--this acclaimed resource provides details on numerous topics of geographic significance, such as climate change, biodiversity, energy, and landforms. The popular satellite image section has been refreshed with stunning new images of Denver (clearly showing how the natural barrier of the Rockies affects population spread), Kabul (which shows in vivid detail how that city is encircled by mountains), and Haiti. All census information and country descriptions have been updated to reflect the latest developments around the world. Other new features include a discussion of world food distribution and how this has changed rapidly in recent years, based on data collected by Rothamsted Research, the oldest research station in the world. A new section on world shipping piracy explores the rise in piracy, especially off the coast of Somalia, and the effects on the World Food Programme. Maps throughout have been updated to include such new features as the World Financial Center (the world's third tallest building) in Shanghai, new international airports in India and South Africa, administrative changes in Iceland, Bulgaria, and elsewhere, new national parks in Denmark, and many more. Providing the finest global coverage available, the Atlas of the World is not only the best-selling volume of its size and price, but also the benchmark by which all other atlases are measured.