For more than 40 years, National Geographic atlases have set the standard against which all other atlases are measured. The "National Geographic Family Reference Atlas of the World is no exception. At the heart of this spectacular volume are more than 450 four-color political, physical, and thematic maps, illustrations, and photographs that present the most complete, up-to-date portrait of our world. In addition, this authoritative reference will enlighten and empower readers with coverage of thematic topics--from space, climate, weather, and biodiversity to world religions, economies, and technological development--plus a wealth of statistical data and informational charts.

Whether it’ s a location of a place somewhere on the globe or in our local galaxy group, an average daily high or low temperature in March in Santo Domingo, the hottest or coldest place on Earth, the population of Brunei, a metric conversion factor, learning about landforms, the biosphere, world energy, environmental stresses, the changing world population, continental drift, the ic