NEW TO THE THIRD EDITION

The third edition contains many new and updated items, including:

• New and improved maps. Because maps are critical for understanding geography, all of our climate and population distribution maps have been redrawn. Each chapter opener now features a full-page physical features map, or a two page map in the case of Chapter 4: Russia and Neighboring Countries and Chapter 8: Northern Africa and Southwestern Asia. The new chapter opener maps show major physical features, country boundaries, and capital cities that students can easily reference while reading the chapter. In addition, all of the physical features maps have been enlarged and redrawn, showcasing major physical features, country boundaries, and capital cities. Every map has been evaluated for size, labeling, and color consistency.
• Internal chapter organization. The internal arrangement of each chapter has changed. The sections on the natural environment now begin the chapter, followed by sections on historical geography, which lead into the sections on the modern global era. The latter part of each chapter continues to be devoted to subregional subdivisions.
• Chapter arrangement. The information within the previous Chapter 6 on Southeast Asia and South Pacific is now divided into two chapters. The new Chapter 6 retains coverage on Southeast Asia. Information on the South Pacific is now covered in a new Chapter 10 entitled Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica. The previous Chapter 10 on Latin America now becomes Chapter 11, while the previous Chapter 11 on North America now becomes Chapter 12. With an additional chapter devoted to a world region, the conclusion now appears as Chapter 13.