The MapMachine of National Geographic has been completely redesigned to give users better access to a collection of maps. Site visitors can view hundreds of maps — political and street maps, historic maps from the Library of Congress, USGS topographic maps and aerial imagery. National Geographic joined forces once again with ESRI to supercharge the site, powered by ESRI’s ArcWeb Services. This technology allows consumers to access geographic data from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, NASA, NOAA and World Wildlife Fund. Visitors can view regularly updated and unique information. New tools allow users to customize maps to meet personal needs.
Some of the key features and resources on the relaunched site include:
– New content — The site has added aerial imagery provided by GlobeXplorer™ that allows you to zoom in on your house or another landmark, as well as seamless USGS topographic maps of the United States, especially suited for the outdoor enthusiast.
– User-friendly tools — Informational layers on each map, showing roads, political boundaries and place names, can be turned on and off. A suite of tools allows users to measure distances, pan over the map, zoom in and out and label key map features, such as Grandma’s house or a trailhead. Once a map is customized, it can be saved, e-mailed to a friend or purchased in a wall-map-sized, high-quality print.
– “Quick Map Search” — This improved function allows users to enter the name of a city, country, region, continent or U.S. ZIP code to find a list of several maps relevant to the area. For example, type in “Atlanta, Ga.,” and a list of 18 maps will appear, including aerial, street, income, weather and historical maps — as well as a city map from 1871.
– More map categories — Users can search and browse several different categories, including countries and continents, conservation and ecology, outdoor recreation, space, trip planning, historical maps, and maps geared for students and educators.
– Online Map Store — Users can purchase hundreds of National Geographic wall, trail and digital mapping products, along with atlases and globes. Visitors can also create their own atlas, aerial and topographic maps by zooming in on key areas and personalizing with labels. These maps can be ordered in a variety of sizes and formats for mail delivery.
– Maps in the News and More — The site highlights maps of places in the news. The flags-and-facts feature provides country profiles, and many other useful features round out the engaging site.
