Matt Rosenberg reviews the new ninth edition of the National Geographic Atlas of the World (previously). Matt likes and recommends it: “This new edition is absolutely gorgeous, from the clear, color-coded index in the front to the legible-sized font in the gazetteer in the back,” he writes.

Pleasantly surprising are the two page spread of Greenland, a two-page spread of Alaska and Hawaii (each separately!), two pages of the Amazon basin, an independent Kosovo, individual detailed maps of Europe’s smallest countries, a two-page spread of the Levant, two pages of the Caucasus (with Abkhazia, South Osssetia, and Nagorno-Karabakh shaded in and using the same font as the West Bank and Gaza).

On the other hand, he finds the paper thin and the coverage of Africa skimpy. Still, Matt says, “Overall, I highly recommend this atlas. It is an excellent reference for our planet and even our solar system. It gives the Times Atlas of the World a run for its money.”

Previously: Ninth Edition of National Geographic’s World Atlas Published.

• Buy National Geographic Atlas of the World, Ninth Edition (hardcover) at Amazon.com (Canada, UK)
• Buy National Geographic Atlas of the World, Ninth Edition (hardcover) at the National Geographic Store. Other editions: softcover, personalized, Platinum Edition with case, Platinum Edition without case.