The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand sets a new benchmark in atlas publishing, both internationally and in New Zealand. Over recent years map-maker Roger Smith, from Wellington company Geographx, has created cutting-edge digital relief maps from Land Information New Zealand's map data. The resultant maps are visually stunning and totally accurate. The Geographic Atlas is the culmination of this highly innovative development in map-making. Using a detailed scale of 1:150, 000, this atlas has 264 maps, well over twice as many as recent New Zealand atlases. This gives a remarkable level of detail and allows the reader to easily and intuitively understand the way the land lies, which is central to this atlas's attraction. There is a universal appeal in being able to locate ourselves in the landscapes that we know, or want to know.

An innovative and extremely useful aspect of this atlas is the locator maps at the beginning of the book, which, while providing an overview of New Zealand, have enough detail to allow the reader to quickly and accurately find the exact map they require. The atlas also has a comprehensive gazetteer with over 35, 000 place names and natural features. Printed on high quality art paper, and with reinforced binding, The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand is not only a wonderfully useful reference book, but very beautiful as well. It will undoubtedly become an essential addition for every New Zealand household.