General History maps of
Different Regions of Our World

This page lists general history maps put out by National Geographic on several regions or countries throughout the world. There is a wealth of historical information in these maps, with lots of notes, sites of interest, illustrations and informative insets. I have listed these maps from the earliest one down to the most recent.

Click on any Map Title that shows up as a Link to see a Picture of that map.

2. Atlantic Ocean - July 1939 (31"x24.5")  This is a political map of the Atlantic ocean that is loaded with geographical and historical notes. It also has information on typical storm tracks, approximate northern limits of drift ice, areas of floating gulfweed (Sargassum), navel bases and distances between different ports.

3. Mexico, Central America and the West Indies - December 1939 (41.5"x25")  This is a political map with lots of historical notes. It has inset maps of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas, Isthmus of Panama, Jamaica, Cuba and the Bermuda islands.

4. The Southwestern United States - June 1940 (34"x25")  Here is a beautiful map of Southwestern United States filled with lots of descriptive notes. It also has railways, canals, battlefields, national parks and monuments, highways, airways, Indian reservations and exploration routes.

5. Indian Ocean including Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia - March 1941 (32"x24")  This is a beautiful political style map of the Indian ocean including the countries that border it. It has lots of historical notes all throughout it on the general history of this region.

6. Northwestern United States - June 1941 (36"x24")  This is a large detailed map of Northwestern United States. It is filled with notes pointing out historic sites.

7. Historical Map of the United States - June 1953 (41"x26.5")  This is a huge historical map of the United States jam packed with historical notes. A definite asset for someone interested in the general history of the United States. It has two inset maps of Chesapeake bay and the Long Island and New York area.

8. A Map of California with Descriptive Notes - June 1954 (37"x29")  This is a huge map of California which is filled with historical descriptive notes. It has inset maps of San Diego, Yosemite Valley, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Region and San Francisco.

9. A Map of New England with Descriptive Notes - June 1955 (43"x29.5")  This is a huge map of New England filled with historical notes on the general history of New England. It contains an inset map of northern Maine.

10. Atlantic Ocean - December 1955 (39"x28")  This is a beautiful map of the Atlantic ocean with lots of geographical and historical notes. It contains an inset submarine topography of the Atlantic.

12. West Indies and Central America - January 1970 (38"x26.5")  This is a beautiful political map of Central America and the West Indies. On it are lots of geographical and historical notes on the general history of this region. There are thirty-seven inset maps of islands along the outside of the map.

13. Islands of the Pacific - December 1974 (37"x22.5")
Side A: Here is a political map of the South Pacific and the islands that reside within this region. It does have a few historical notes.

14. Discoverers of the Pacific - December 1974 (37"x22.5")
Side B: This side is filled with illustrations and write-ups on the early peoples who explored the Pacific islands. The center has a physical map of the Pacific ocean color coded to show what different peoples resided in each region.

15. Ireland and Northern Ireland: A Visitors Guide - April 1981 (20.5"x14")
Side A: This is a beautiful political map of Ireland and Northern Ireland filled with historical notes on places of interest. It contains an inset map of the city of Dublin.

16. Historical Ireland: From Pre-Christian Times to the Turmoil of Today - April 1981 (20.5"x14")
Side B: This side is divided into three sections with physical maps and write-ups on the general history of this land. The sections are titled Pre-Norman Ireland First Century BC - AD 1168, Medieval Ireland 1169 - 1690 and Modern Ireland 1691 - Present.

17. History of Europe: The Major Turning Points - December 1983 (43"x30")
Side B: On this side is a huge physical map of Europe filled with historical notes on the general history of this continent. The right side has lots of inset maps and illustrations. On the far right is a timeline from 4500 BC to 1979 titled Tapestry of History.

18. Japan - June 1984 (37"x11")
Side A: This is a beautiful political map of Japan filled with historical notes on the general history of this country. It includes an inset map of the Japanese possessions.

19. Historical Japan - June 1984 (37"x11")
Side B: This side is mostly filled with insets titled Birth of a Central State 552-710, Age of the Courtiers 710-1185, Medieval and Feudal Japan 1185-1868 and Modern Japan to 1945. On the left side is a timeline dating from ca 30,000 BC to 1945 titled Scroll of a Nation.

21. History of the Philippines - July 1986 (27"x20")
Side A: There is a physical map on this side color coded to show the locations of Mid-17th Century Roman Catholic missionaries. The rest of this side is divided into insets titled 1. Beginnings of the Archipelago, 2. Cross, Crown and Crescent, 2a. Manila Entrepot: Junks and Galleons, 3. American era, 3a. World War II and 4. An Evolving Republic.

22. Territorial Growth of the United States - September 1987 (42"x29")
Side B: A major portion of this side is filled with an early map of the New England states which was made in 1785. There is a good introduction and has insets titled ca 1750: Europe Claims North America, 1787: A New Nation on Stage, 1803: Expanding West of the Mississippi, 1821: Coming of Age, 1850: Coast to Coast, 1877: The Union Holds, 1987: The 50 States Today and A Broader View.

23. Historical France - July 1989 (31"x20")
Side B: Most of this side is filled with a physical map of France loaded with historical notes on the general history of this country. The left and right sides have beautiful illustrations, maps and historical notes.

24. Soviet Union - March 1990 (36.5"x22")
Side B: The center section has a large physical map of the Soviet Union color coded to show where all the different cultures reside. Around the bottom are insets titled 1. Slavic Expansion ca 600, 2. The Kievan Rus 1054, 3. Seeds of the Russian State 1380, 4. Tsardom of  Muscovy 1596, 5. Westward Inroads 1815, 6. The Long Movement Eastward 1886, 7. War and Revolution 1914 and 8. The Soviet Sphere 1955.

25. China - July 1991 (29"x22")
Side B: This side has two huge physical maps of China showing population size and distribution and agriculture and industry. There are six inset maps titled Evolution to Empire 5000 BC to 221 BC, Han Expansion and Collapse 206 BC to AD 220, An Asian Empire Seventh Century, Northern Invaders 1100 to 1300, The Last Empire 1760 to 1912 and World war-Civil war 1916 to Present. On the far right is a timeline titled History of China dated from 5000 BC to 1989.

26. Southwest USA - October 1992 (20"x15")
Side A: This is a political map of Southwest U.S.A. with the locations of missions, Pueblos, ruins, ski areas, state and national park systems and Indian reservations clearly marked. It has lots of historical notes on the general history of this region throughout.

27. Southwest USA: The Land of Open Sky - October 1992 (20"x15")
Side B: This side is filled with illustrations and write-ups on this region. It also has info on historic sites such as the Grand Canyon, the Four Corners, Tombstone, Zion and Santa FE along with information on Indian artisans and artifacts.

28. Historical Italy map - February 1995 (33"x22")
Side A: The center section has a beautiful early map of Italy made by cartographer Nicolaus Germanus in 1486. Along the outside are insets titled Etruscan Civilization 700-200 BC, Rome and the Empire 509 BC-AD 476, Barbarian Invasions & Byzantine Empire AD 200-600, Papal states 756-1870, The Plague 1347-1743, The Renaissance 1400-1527, The Counter-Reformation 1527-1700, The Enlightenment 1700-1800, Napoleon in Italy 1796-1815 and Unification 1815-1929.

29. Rediscovering Hawaii - September 1995 (31"x20")
Side B: This side is divided into three sections. The top part talks about subjects such as Molten earth to Modern cities, Historic Lahaina and Honolulu's Cultural Cauldron. The center explores Hawaii's heritage and has a beautiful physical map with historical notes on the general history of Hawaii. The bottom section is titled Islands Under Construction and deals with the geology of the islands.

30. India - May 1997 (30"x22.5")
Side B: Most of this side is filled with physical maps of India and talks about such modern topics as populations and economic breakthroughs. The right side does have some historical write-ups and inset maps under the heading Changing Faces of India: Empires to Independence.

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