Virtual Library

This WWW Virtual Library: International Affairs Resources is an Internet directory of over 2000 annotated links to high-quality English-language sources of information and analysis in many international and global studies topics. Sites are carefully selected for their long-term value, favoring those with cost-free, authoritative information and analysis online.

MAPS AND EARTH IMAGES


Insightful Blog about Maps-- The Map Room


Atlas of Canada--
Current maps, tables, images, geographical facts, and archive of historical maps, from Natural Resources Canada.


Geography and Map Reading Room-- From the U.S. Library of Congress, posts many online maps of a wide variety, of places in the United States, other countries, and the world, historical and contemporary, plus a blog and guide to maps elsewhere on the Internet.

Google Earth-- Excellent free site that "puts a planet's worth of imagery and other geographic information right on your desktop... combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips." Also allows virtual "ocean exploration." Several versions are available, including a more elaborate Google Earth Pro version for download. Recommended for beginners: Gizmodo's guide to Google Earth.


Map Fight-- Allows you to compare, visually and by percentages, the relative areas of countries and other geographical areas by overlaying outlines of the areas chosen.

 

Map Resources-- From the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., "A guide to map resources on the internet. Prepared by the NDU Library staff in support of the courses, conferences, and research requirements of the National Defense University."


Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection-- At the University of Texas, one of the very best online, with finely detailed maps of different styles and dates. Note their lengthy link list of other online sites for many kinds of maps.

Reference Maps-- Detailed maps from the World Factbook reference annual of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States.

United Nations Atlas of the Oceans-- "An Internet portal providing information relevant to the sustainable development of the oceans. It is designed for policy-makers who need to become familiar with ocean issues and for scientists, students and resource managers who need access to databases and approaches to sustainability."


United Nations Geospatial Information Section-- An excellent site, with many general and peacekeeping maps online and links to other U.N. map sites. Maps are in PDF format for best display and print results.


World Time Zones Map-- Time zones of the world, with the current times, sun clock, time zone maps to print.

World Wind-- From the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, an excellent free downloadable program with many plug-ins that "lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there."


Worldmapper-- "A collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest." From the University of Sheffield, these cartograms show the relative global distribution of many attributes, such as population, trade flows, immigration, refugees, tourism, and so on


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This section of the WWW Virtual Library system was created, and is edited and maintained, by Dr. Wayne A.Selcher, Professor of International Studies Emeritus, Department of Political Science, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA 17022-2288  U.S.A., as a volunteer and non-profit public service. This website copyright 1997-present by Wayne A. Selcher. E-mail: wayneselcher@comcast.net