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- What's
New -
In this issue we introduce the Atlas of North America, offer nearly
50 new printable maps, and share a brief story on how Americans use
water.
The Atlas of North America
Any national atlas should provide a larger context within
which to describe a nation's people, places, and resources. To date,
the National Atlas of the United States has focused on
providing you with information about America. But in recent years we
have partnered with atlas programs in Mexico and Canada to compile
authoritative and reliable geographic information that covers North
America. We have begun by collaboratively building "frameworks," the
essential map layers that provide a foundation for all other maps.
These basic layers, including small-scale harmonized information on
North American roads, water, boundaries and the like, are being offered
here for the first time. Like all other raw data
and documentation offered here on nationalatlas.gov, these frameworks
can be downloaded at no cost and used freely without copyright concerns
or license restrictions. Revised elevation data and a new watersheds
map layer will be our next North American frameworks releases.
Preview of North American watersheds map
layer.
More County Maps
You've probably discovered our printable maps. Hundreds of
thousands of these page-sized maps are downloaded each month for use
at home, in schools, and at the office. One of our most popular series
of printable maps has included maps for each state that show county
boundaries. Still, many of you have asked us to include "just
a little more" information on these state-by-state county maps.
So we're introducing a second set of them here. These are just as accurate
and useful as our original county maps, but now we've added the locations
of selected towns and cities as well as large water bodies. You may preview
the maps here in the National Atlas, then download and print them
yourself. |
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| What you can do in the National
Atlas of the United States® |
| Customize your own map for printing
or viewing. |
Map
Maker |
| Investigate the layers that you can mix and
match when making your own map. |
Map
Layers |
| Print pre-formatted maps on a variety of topics. |
Printable
Maps |
| Order larger maps suitable for the wall of your
office, home, or classroom. |
Wall
Maps |
| Play with interactive maps. |
Dynamic
Maps |
| Learn about topics that interest you. |
Articles |
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| Download documented, accurate, reliable,
and integrated data to use in your GIS application. |
Mapping Professionals |
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How America Uses Water
 Everyone
knows that our population continues to grow. A census count in 1980
identified close to 227 million residents of the United States. Twenty
years later, the Census Bureau tallied more than 281 million people
here. But did you know that demand
for water in the United States declined in 1985 and that it has
remained fairly steady since then? In this issue you can read how changes
in technology, in our laws, and in our economy, along with increased
awareness of the need for water conservation, have resulted in more
efficient use of the water from the Nation's rivers, lakes, reservoirs,
and aquifers. |
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