Reference

摘要

The Automobile Association (AA) in the UK produced this moderately sized atlas. _ Its illustrated introduction includes the essays "Our Star and Our Neighbors" (predating Pluto's demotion to "dwarf planet" status), "The Earth and the Moon," "A World in Motion," "Shaping the World," "Contrasting Conditions," "Peopling the Globe," and "The Population Explosion." It also features an alphabetically arranged "Country Facts & Flags" section, providing for UN member states, Taiwan, and Vatican City basic information (official flag, capital, area, population, currency, main religion, main languages, international dialing code, and map page). The atlas proper contains 103 pages of full-color, computer-generated political and topographical maps of the world, continents, and regions (by Hema Maps, Brisbane, Australia), which reflect the most recent geopolitical changes as of 2007. The detail of coverage varies by continent: There are 12 regional maps for Europe and Asia, seven for North America, five for Africa, and two for Oceania and South America. The terrain modeling is detailed and dramatic. BOTTOM LINE The AA atlas is similar in size, format, and currency with the somewhat larger Oxford New Concise World Atlas (2006; 2d. ed.). The maps and texts in both works reflect the separation of Montenegro from Serbia. However, Oxford's atlas includes the demarcation of de facto states such as Nagorno-Karabakh and Somaliland, as well as preindependence Kosovo as a province of Serbia.