The Bottom Line
This is a cost-effective and very nice atlas for every home. It can be used for personal or homework research. The country information and world facts are very helpful although they come directly from the World Almanac.
Pros
- Great world and country data.
- Nice readable detail map plates.
Cons
- Metro area maps unattractive.
- Country data organized by region, not alphabetically.
Description
- First edition, published by Hammond in late 2003.
- 292 pages, approximately 12 1/2 inches by 9 1/2 inches.
- 133 pages of map plates, 9 pages of world data, 55 pages of country data, 72 pages of index.
- Index map on inside front cover, time zone map on inside back cover.
Guide Review - World Almanac World Atlas
This atlas provides a nice collection of detailed map plates that are readable and easy to use. The index is thorough and comprehensive and utilizes a grid system to make it easy for novice users to find locations. The shaded relief on the map plates very nicely gives the user a sense of topography. I was very impressed with the readability of city, regional, and mountain names on the maps - Hammond has done a very good job on toponyms. There's a great timezone map in the inside back cover and the inside front cover is an index map.
I find that the world facts in the front of the atlas are very interesting and contain more tables and lists than most atlases. Likewise, the country information in the back of the atlas is very helpful. The country information, however, is organized by region and there is no index so it is difficult to find the country you're interested in. Additionally, all the data comes from the World Almanac and is basically an appendix in the atlas - I was hoping that this atlas would include more thematic maps as does Goode's.
I was somewhat disappointed by the blotch of red used to show city limits or metropolitan areas on the detailed maps - it was simply unattractive and the boundaries appear almost haphazard.
