In this section:
'The State of the World Atlas is something else - an occasion of wit and an act of subversion...These are the bad dreams of the modern world, given color and shape and submitted to a grid that can be grasped instantaneously.' New York Times
The definitive reference book on the way we live now, The State of the World Atlas is a magnificent visual survey of current events and global trends.
This unique book, a milestone of graphic reporting, has become a trade reference classic since its first publication in the 1970s. Completely revised and updated, the new 9th edition of this groundbreaking ‘atlas with attitude‘ keeps pace with the speed of change, using over 100 thematic world maps.
Authored by leading international peace researcher Dan Smith OBE, it has sold over 700,000 copies in different languages around the world, offering its sharp analysis and informed comment on the most challenging issues facing the world today.
Widely praised for its ingenious design and statistically meticulous presentation of trends, The State of the World Atlas graphically analyses every key indicator and vital statistic of modern life, from wealth and power, war and peace through to rights, health and the environment (see samples below) .
Topics are grouped into six categories: Who We Are • War & Peace • Health of the People • Health of the Planet • Wealth & Poverty • Rights & Respect
is Secretary General of the London-based international peacebuilding organization International Alert, and former Director of the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo. He has also held fellowships at the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and European Policy and was, for over a decade, the Chair of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. He is the author of The State of the Middle East, as well as successive editions of The State of the World Atlas and The Atlas of War and Peace. At International Alert he produced the path-breaking A Climate of Conflict report on the links between climate change, peace, and war. He is regularly invited to advise governments and international organizations on policies and structures for peacebuilding, including through his membership of the Advisory Group for the UN Peacebuilding Fund, of which he was Chair until 2011. He was awarded the OBE in 2002, and blogs on international politics at www.dansmithsblog.com
A super book that will not only sit on your shelf begging to be used, but will also be a good read. To call this book an atlas is like calling Calvados, applejack – it may be roughly accurate but it conveys nothing of the richness and flavour of the thing. Its inventive brilliance deserves enormous rewards.
Unique and uniquely beautiful...A single map here tells us more about the world today than a dozen abstracts or scholarly tomes.
A striking new approach to cartography...no-one wishing to keep a grip on the reality of the world should be without these books.
Outspoken cataloguing of global oppressions and inequities, painstakingly sourced.
Very lively and beautifully produced – one of the definite must-buys of books reviewed this year.
Packed with fascinating facts and figures on everything from the international drugs industry to climate change.
This is a fantastic guide to all those involved in foreign policy. Its clear maps and compelling graphics show the scale of the challenges we face. The book is an object lesson in how to enhance understanding without dumbing down. Indispensable.
An indispensable survey of current events and social trends that makes understanding the vast array of data both possible and pleasurable. Buy this book!
A political reference book which manages to translate hard, boring statistics into often shocking visual statements... required reading.
Now in its 9th edition and completely revised and updated, the indispensible guide to the state of the world. All the key indicators and global trends are included from War to Health to Finance and Waste. Without the use of maps, the information here would fill three volumes at least, thanks to Dan Smith we can easily see everything from the horrendous pile of disposable nappies in the USA (3,266,000 tonnes) to the fact that there are over 4 million stateless people in the world. The use of maps in every spread brings clarity and ease of reference. There really is nothing else to compare with this Atlas, its wide-ranging content and striking maps and charts makes it a must-have for any concerned citizen.
