Discover all the nations of the world with the clear, colorful maps, flags, and statistics in this invaluable reference source. Beautifully designed maps, flags, and country profile data make this atlas an ideal source of information about our ever-changing world. Arranged in three main sections, the Compact World Atlas provides an excellent source of accurate and informative geographical information in an attractive, affordable, user-friendly package. The first section gives a global overview with political, physical, and time-zone maps. This is followed by 120 pages of crisp, clear regional mapping, arranged by continent and covering all the world’s 196 nations. Each map is rich in topographical information including cities, physical features, rivers, lakes, roads, and railroads. The second section features a comprehensive set of country fact files, packed with up-to-date reference data including total area, population, languages, religions, and currency as well as each country’s national flag. There is also an exhaustive cross-referenced index and gazetteer that enables you to quickly identify and locate places in the atlas. Ideal for family reference, crosswords, and quizzes, this atlas presents an intriguing and absorbing journey around the world in which we live.