Combining state - of - the - art cartographic technology and information with dynamic and diverse physiographic and cultural content, the Eight Edition is National Geographic"s most accurate and interesting record of the world yet. The atlas truly begins with three stunning new, full-spread world maps, that drape Earth"s surface seamlessly with satellite imagery, then physical and natural features, and finally today"s political world of countries and growing cities. World thematic topics are organized into two groups: the Physical and Natural World and Human Activities. The Physical and Natural World section includes captivating core topics such as the evolution of earth, geology and tectonics, climate and weather, oceans, world water, the bloshere, and biodiversity. Human Activities covers 11 world themes: population, migration and refugees, conflict and terrorism, cultures, economy, energy and minerals, communications, food, health and education, the environment, and ending with wild lands. Lined up after the world thematic focus is the continental division. All seven continents open with views from space and are then represented with separate physical and political maps. A user-friendly, 136 page, comprehensive place-name index cross-references over 130,000 geographical sites and areas. An appendix presents valuable, convenient reference to time zones, metric conversions, foreign terms, abbreviations, airline distances, and temperature and rainfall statistics from all corners of the globe. Every map spread in the atlas will include interactive features and access to up-to-the-minute updates and information via the electronic National Geographic Map Machine.