Here is my understanding of the changes made:

1. The term "Arabian Gulf" in parenthesis has been deleted. Instead, there is a small note that reads: "Historically and commonly known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is also referred by some as the Arabian Gulf."

2. Persian names of all Iranian islands are used. (Kish instead of Qeys, Lavan alone instead of adding Sheykh Sha'eyb in parenthesis)

3. Deletion of "Occupied by Iran (Claimed by U.A.E.)" in reference to the islands Abu Musa, and Greater and Lesser Tunbs.

These changes already appear on the website (www.nationalgeographic.com/mapmachine) and will apply to further printings or editions of the NG Atlas. Also, on the password-protected website for NG Atlas owners, there is a "brief summary of the historical origin of the term Persian Gulf". There is also a note on the place-naming policy of NG. (The online update feature is great - you can download and/or print updated plates and put them in your atlas. This not new for NG Atlases, except that they used to send updates by mail.)

Overall, I am impressed with NG's response to this situation. I am also very impressed with the quality of the atlas and its contents, except for the outermost/superficial binding paper. I have had the atlas for about 6 months, and with moderate use, the paper around the bottom of the spine has frayed. The binding itself is intact, though.

All of the wiz-bang technology notwithstanding, the real benefit to the National Geographic Atlas has always been-and remains-its focus on the human aspects of geography. Maps relating to various historical, political, archeological, social and natural resource and other aspects of the human face of geography abound. This has always ben a NGS strength and it is on full display in this Atlas.

Completely redesigned, the "National Geographic Atlas of the World, Seventh Edition" will be a wonderful reference for your home or office library. Rich in facts, data and citations, up to date, aesthetically pleasing in the extreme and highly precise both visually and factually, it is a resource that anyone with school age children will appreciate-and depend on-- for years to come.

The traditional NGS "look" sometimes seems dated compared to the flashier colors and trendy graphics employed by some other publishers. However, the more I study the maps, the more information I find in them. A few months ago I did a comparison of this NGS with the most recent edition of the much more expensive Times Atlas of the World for a professional geographer's meeting. I was amazed to find that many of the NGS maps of North America had more than twice as many place names and named physical features as the Times Atlas. I also found the NGS Atlas maps equal or superior to the Times' maps for parts of the Middle East and northeast Asia with which I'm familiar (frankly, I found the 10th Edition Times Atlas inferior to the prior edition in several regards; for example, the elevation colors are far less discernable and detailed city maps have been virtually eliminated). Despite contrary opinions by some other reviewers, I judge the National Geographic Atlas maps to be far and away superior in content and sheer volume of information presented to all the other "high end" atlases published by Oxford, Hammond and DK. In fact, I couldn't justify recommending any of the other atlases (except possibly the Times, which, I admit, does offer fantastic detail for village names in the rural plains of India where I hope to never visit) to a library.

The National Geographic Society Atlas of the World is a great investment for travel planning, tracking current events, studying geography and history or just reading maps for pleasure. I recommend it highly.

Having seen some of the criticisms of NGS maps in general I will admit that they tend to be more biased towards political and anthropological geography as opposed to the physical terrain. I don't see this as a fault. If I wanted a topographical map I would go to Ordinance Survey; For nautical charts I would go to NOAA. But for clear, precise, easily discernable maps of nations and the world, there is none better. NGS does throw in some satellite maps and a few thematic maps, as well as several dozen high level maps of major cities of the world. But their forte will always be maps of a political nature. Best of all, these mesh well with the NGS supplemental maps that come with the monthly magazine, i.e. same color scheme and font.

And then, as I said before, there is precision. I have seen atlases from other major publishers that are just plain wrong: parts of countries missing, roads and bridges where there are none, and worst of all, factual errors. NGS has been precise and accurate for as long as I have been viewing their maps. They are also politically neutral thus all disputed boundaries are indicated and annotated in red, e.g. Northern Cyprus, Gaza, Spratly Islands, etc.

So if you are planning on touring Europe and you absolutely must know what elevation you are at, or perhaps you harbor concerns about accidentally entering a sub-alpine vegetation zone without knowing it, then by all means buy the Rand McNally or Times Atlas. But if, like most people, you use an atlas to help understand where you are and where you are going, NGS World Atlas is the best.

Great to use if reading about far off places where names are not familiar. Just as usefull if reading about Zagreb, Croatia in Spokane, Washington as it would be to read about Spokane in Zagreb.

Even if you don't have a need for near perfect maps, get this one for the great sat photos and the interesting supplements!