Political Maps of the World

This page lists all the Political Maps of the World produced by National Geographic. The list goes from the earliest map to the most recent.

Click on Map Titles that are Links to see a Picture of that map.

1. World Map - December 1922 (41.5"x28") This political map shows the boundaries established after WW1. The map shows the airplane and train routes of the time. It has insets of the northern and southern hemispheres, showing the natural vegetation and ocean currents and showing population densities and prevailing winds.

2. World Map - December 1932 (38"x26") Beautifully detailed map showing international and provincial borders. It shows countries, provinces, states, capitals and cities. It has insets of the North and South Polar regions, world vegetation and ocean currents and world population and wind currents.

3. World Map - December 1935 (43.5"x23") This world map is unique for the Eastern and Western Hemispheres are beautifully created with the Azimuthal Equal-Area Projection. It has an earth chart filled with information on the Earth's mass, areas of continents, mountain heights, ocean depths and more. It has separate insets for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and showing the time zones for both hemispheres.

4. World Map - December 1941 (42"x22.5") This Political world map features classic colorization to show the country borders and relief shading. It has insets for the "Land" and "Water" Hemispheres showing elevation and ocean depths and an inset showing population density.

5. World Map - December 1943 (41"x26") This map was published in the midst of WW2, and showed international boundaries as of Sept. 1, 1939. It has insets for the Northern and Southern hemispheres, showing the world alliances during WW1, and showing the alliances in WW2 as of the publication of this map.

6. World Map - December 1951 (42"x27.5") This was the first world map published by National Geographic following WW2, and has international boundaries reflecting changes following WW2. It has insets for Antarctica and the Arctic, inset showing the United Nations countries, the communist World and Atlantic Pact countries.

7. The World Map - March 1957 (42"x29") This political map is rich in detail both on land and in the oceans. It has insets for the South Polar and North Polar regions and an inset showing the United Nations countries. The inset also shows the Communist World and Atlantic Pact countries, along with the list of countries in S.E.A.T.O, the Baghdad Pact and Arab League.

8. World Map - November 1960 (25"x19") This political map shows the sweeping changes in Africa as of September 1960, as many countries gained their independence. This map has classic National Geographic cartography and detail with vivid country borders. It has principal airports, canals, depth curves and soundings in fathoms, elevations, prevailing winds and warm and cold ocean currents.

9. World Map - February 1965 (42"x29.5") This world map has detailed ocean depth and ocean currents information. It has insets for vegetation and land use, population density and world time zones. It has insets showing North Polar and South Polar regions and an inset showing United Nations countries.

10. World Map - December 1970 (42"x29") 
Side A: This map is an example of classic National Geographic cartography with vivid country borders, and has map notes throughout making it a perfect reference for its time. It contains insets for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, inset map of the United Nations countries and insets for vegetation, land use, population density and world time zones.

11. Political World Map - November 1975 (35"x24")
Side A:  This beautiful political map has well defined country borders, thousands of place names and capitals. It has insets for the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions, language groups, religions of the world, population density and international time zones.

12. World Map - December 1981 (42"x29")
Side A: This political map uses strong colors and detailed geographical information to give you a stunning map as only National Geographic can. It contains insets for the Arctic and Antarctic regions, inset map showing language groups of the world, inset map showing religions of the world and insets for population density and time zones.

13. World Map - December 1988 (46"x29")
Side B: Classic map printed on the National Geographic centennial with vivid country borders and dramatic physical earth insets of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. It also has insets of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, population and Religions of the world.

14. Atlas Annual: The World - June 1992 (36"x19") As written on the back of this map, "This supplement, cumulative and inclusive to June 10, 1992, will remind you of the major world changes that have occurred since publication of the National Geographic Atlas of the World, Sixth Edition. Most notable on this map is the dissolved Union of Soviet Socialist Republics into the Commonwealth of Independent States.

14. World Political Map - February 1994 (43"x30")
Side B: This is a classic political world map by National Geographic with distinct borders, thousands of place names, capitals and major airports. It contains ocean depths, prevailing currents and world time zones. Included are insets for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, physical earth insets for the Eastern and Western Hemispheres and insets for vegetation, land use and population density.

15. World Map - November 2004 (35"x22")
Side A: This is a beautiful map with colorful clearly defined borders and thousands of place names. The map uses shaded relief to show the ocean bottom and lines showing prevailing currents. There are inset maps of the North Pole and South Pole regions, population density and language families.

Link from Political Maps back to World Maps
Link back to the Home Page