This is a great magazine; however, unless I am missing something, the cost of a year's subscription is only $15 on the National Geographic site.

National Geo. was a family favorite growing up. My parents got us the subscription so we could have great references for projects with great pictures. Now, all grown up I purchased this for my brother for his birthday as a staple magazine for his new family.

This was a Christmas gift for my brother on law and to this date he has not received his 1st magazine. I am very dispointed

I will no longer subscribe to National Geographic. This year we started getting unsolicited junk from either National Geographic or their "partner" companies masquerading as National Geographic and then billing us for the DVDs, maps, etc. I expressed my concerns in a letter to National Geographic about the problem and they did not bother to contact me. Of course now they are sending these bogus bills to their "collection department." No more National Geographic magazine EVER!

National Geographic offers a broad overview about almost all interesting issues concerning history, science and nature. I always enjoy to get the next issue since besides the main theme on the cover there's a variety of additional coverages of present and past matters. Also the effects of global warming, foreign cultures, historic events and processes, the destruction of nature by man and many social problems in Third World countries are described and explained in detail.
I just love that magazine and don't want to miss it anymore. It's worth to collect it in a slipcase or anything like that. The coverages often have up-to-date reference but also there are many articles and passages which are just timeless.
This subscription at amazon I've purchased for a dear friend who has not the money to buy the monthly issues, just to share everything with her. I'm sure she'll enjoy the magazine since she's so much interested in all those issues dealt with.
I would recommend it highly. For everyone who is interested I even would recommend to go ahead into the next bookshop and take a look into the current issue, just to get an overview what I'm writing about.
Enjoy reading! I look forward to each coming monthly issue of this great magazine.

Order this directly from National Geographic - they charge $15 a year, less than half of what Amazon is asking, and much better service apparently

If you go to National Geographic's website you can get a 12 month subscription for $15, just like I just did.

I bought National Geographics for my elderly father over 3 months ago. To this day no magazines have arrived. Tired of waiting and after a phone call from him, I barred the wait to talked to someone in NG. They told me that going through Amazon takes at least 3 months!!! and that they have shiped my order two day ago and it will take 2 weeks in transport. If I go directly through them it takes 1 months.

I usually have enough time to read about 1 magazine a month between raising kids and working. So what other magazine could leave you in awe with it's photography, astound you with it's stories and educate you like no other magazine. National Geographic of course that same magazine that you used to page through when you were a kid sitting in the dentist waiting room. Now my kids page through it at home, I have a friend at work who collects the maps, my wife peruses it and when we are all done I donate all back issues to a local nursing home. psstt..go to their website for the best price..

What can anyone add - same ole, same ole. Absolutely Great!

$15 for a year's subscription at the national geographic mag site. Go there and buy it. One star for Amazon trying to get you to shell out the extra dough.
-Karl

How relevant can a magazine actually remain in the age of the Internet?

National Geographic shows each month that old-fashioned reporting - along with the new and emerging technologies - can make a magazine as vital and informative as ever

Granted, it has had problems - several years ago, it was revealed by a reader that published photographs were actually staged, with the tip-off coming from a small part of several photos and a major story on an archeological find in China proved to be false. But the publication quickly addressed these issues with its readership and did not do a typical media shuffle to deflect criticism somewhere else.

The magazine has reshuffled its layout and features & gives a nice range of articles concerning issues from around the world and beyond. And the rich photographs are worth the price of the magazine. By guiding the reader to additional information, whether on the NG website or cable channel, there shows an important embracing of a holistic approach to presenting information.

National Geographic is a great magazine that has taken strides throughout its existence to remain fresh and relevant, while tackling oftentimes highly controversial issues like global warming and pollution. It is a monthly treasure of information.

I remember having NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC as a kid and being mostly impressed with the pictures. Now, ordering it myself years later, I know that my memory served me correctly - oh those pictures! Whether they are pictures of the human heart or unearthly undersea worms in Hawaii (February issue) or elephant herds or cosmic stars (March issue) NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC's pictures are absolutely outstanding.

And the maps! I LOVED those maps as a kid! Note, I haven't received a fold out map yet, so I am eagerly awaiting my first one. (I am debating whether I should decorate my walls with them). But even those within the magazine itself are fantastic: They are clear, and give a wealth of information. The January issue had a clear map on the Amazon, which included areas of forest, areas of deforestation, areas of urbanization, forest fires, roads, protected areas and areas with indigenous communities.

Now as a adult, I actually read the articles, and not just flip through the pictures and gaze at the maps. Other reviewers are correct, the articles have a 'chatty tone' and are definitely for laypeople, but this isn't a bad thing. In fact, I find it refreshing after spending all my time at work now and at formerly at school reading jargon.

After all, who is an expert on the human heart, the Amazon, elephant herds, undersea worms, cosmic stars, Nigerian oil, and hummingbirds all at once? And these are simply some of the stories covered in the January, February and March 2007 issues! NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC introduces a whole host of subjects in an intelligent, thoughtful fashion: its not meant to be a Ph.D dissertation on these subjects. It enlightens us to the amazing things (both wonderful and horrible) going on in our world. If we want to delve further, we can always pick up a scholarly journal or a Ph.D thesis....

[...]

I ordered National Geographic and Smisthsonian for myself and 7 other people for christmas gift....NOT ONE PERSON WAS NOTIFIED THAT THERE ARE TO RECEIVE THESE MAGAZINES.....I HAVE 8 PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO IDEA THAT I SENT GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS. AMAZON WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY...PASSES IT ON TO THEIR MAGAZINE SERVICE WHO ALSO WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. AMAZON SAID I COULD HAVE PRINTED A CARD AND MAILED IT MYSELF....WHAT HAPPENED TO INTERNET CONVIENECE. ICOMPLAINED TO AMAZON AND ALL I GOT WAS SOMEONE IN THE PHILLIPINES WHO WAS WORTHLESS.

Actually I have not received this magazine yet. Could you please help me to check it? Thanks.

Apparently everyone writing reviews is made of money...well if that is the case, let me tell you a little secret: if you go garage sailing you can often find an entire year of NG for like $20. And sometimes it is even a recent year. I say save the trash heaps and the trees, and the green (if you catch my drift) and shop around before you go buying new stuff. It has cool covers, and you can collect them regardless of their condition.

National Geographic Magazine is written primarily for theperson with little or no background in Geography. It is not an intense scholarly magazine and , as a Geograohy professor pointed out, tends to be chatty. But, it does give great information on geopgraphy as well as other fields in the Social Sciences even Natural History. There are many articles about people and places around the world and their customs. There are articles on the latest explorations and discoveries. Such as the rediscovery of the Gnostic Gospel of Judas and the oldest tatooed mummy.Zip USA takes a single US Zip Code and describes the customs and practices of the people living within that zip code. There are many interesting articles about people and places in the United States.

I became interested in Geography and Anthropology through reading this magazine. The articles are quite informative and entertaining and the photography is outstanding.

Great Magazine, with in depth articles covering interesting topics around the globe. I pity the fool who does not subscribe to NG

Don't pay Amazon $34 for this subscription when you can get it directly from National Geographic for $15.

I am 28 years old and I have every issue of this magazine that has been published since I was born (thanks Mom & Dad for the ongoing subscription). It used to be the gold standard of magazines...well, its really a Journal publication.

The photography featured in the magazine is still top notch and beautiful. However, since when did subjects like Cafeine and Stem Cells (both recent cover stories) have anything to do with geography? This magazine used to spin tales of expeditions to far flung lands and interesting tribes and so on. Perhaps its a testament to the fact that we are all becoming more and more globalized and the cultures of the world are becoming more and more homogonized with every passing year, but it seems some of the subject matter as of late is really stretching the scope of the publication.

Second, I recall as a child and adolescent receiving the maps that came with the editions every 3 or 4 months. They would adorn the walls of my bedroom and eventually even my college dorm room. But in the past five years it seems that these fold outs have included things like pictures of dinosaurs, ancient fish, and big elephants.....not so geographical.

I remember reading articles about people summitting mountains and dogsledding to the South Pole and now we get cover stories entitled "Love: The Chemical Reaction"....what?

This magazine is truly outstanding! It is very informative and only rarely makes mistakes! I love the indepth and informative articles that they provide. I also love the way that they always have such clear and beautiful pictures and there is no shortage of them either! I also love the fact that all of the articles are in line with mainstream science.

I've learned so much from this magazine. It takes you into cultures from all over the world and teaches you about them. Every month you're looking at pictures of events and people sometimes in places that you have never even heard of. Really educational and top notch.

I have always had a copy of National Geographic available to me. As a kid I glanced at my Dad's copy (just for the pictures- I had a subscription to Ranger Rick that was more my style until I was 8). As an adult I read it cover to cover every month and its the first magazine I look for on the newsstands. Simple the best magazine that is published.

I received National Geographic as a gift because I was getting too old for Ranger Rick. (Quite the jump, I must add). I read my first issue and immediately wanted more.

The pictures, as many have said, are always stunning, and the writing is spectacular. Obviously, such a world-renowned magazine must be spectacular.

My only complaint is that it takes so long to read that, with my busy schedule, I don't ever have time to read anything else. They tend to pile up, but I read them all eventually- I can't bear the thought of just putting an unread issue straight into the rack with the read ones. It really is fantastic and makes a great Bar or Bat Mitzvah gift.

Now now! Before you get mad at me for my "liberal slant" comment in the title of this review, let me remind you that I also said it's "a fantastic publication." :-) No matter what your political stance on hot button issues such as global warming and oil, you have to admit that National Geographic takes a liberal stance. Is that good or bad? Entirely up to you to decide. But to their credit, they do a VERY fair job, within the articles, of explaining and examining ALL aspects and points of view.

I subscribed because like most of us, I've always been a fan of their photographs, but as they began to arrive in the mail I found myself poring over each and every page, reading every issue from cover to cover. I've learned so many wonderful things about cultures and people I will never get a chance to see in real life, and I've educated myself on issues that otherwise would remain a mystery.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of having a subscription is the inserts that come in almost every issue. My all time favorite thus far has been a composite map of the entire world at night, showing natural gas vents, wild fires, and city lights across the globe. Fascinating!

For the almost embarrassingly low price of $49.00 a year I am more educated, informed, and inspired then I was before I subscribed.

This is the best ever magazine in all fields....though they are getting mean nowadays and reducing the number of pages per issue!!! It is really a great reading from cover to cover...everybody must get it!!!

Excellent magazine for adults and kids alike. Covers everything from culture, nature, geography, ecology to science and technology. In recent months it has tackled interesting and counterversial subjects such as "The end of Cheap Oil" and "Global Warming".

In any edition you can review a wide spectrum of articles -- history, science, wild life etc. I particularly like the article on ZipUSA where they cover small ( but unique and interesting ) "zip codes".

There is no better way to learn about diverse life forms on this planets. Where there are deep deep sea creatures or animals living in the evergreen forests.

There is no better way to learn about our solar system -- how planets are created or what are stars ? Recently there was an article on New Earths.

My elder child enjoys reading this magazine. Believe me this is the best way to build interest around science for kids.

National Geographic is simply a great magazine for people interested in the world. The world of peoples, the world of animals, the world of plants, the world of beautiful places, the world of ugly places. While the text can sound aloof at times, the photos are simply world-class. In fact, I read NG mainly for the photographs. As the Chinese proverb goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words." NG hires some of the best portrait and nature photographers who trek thousands of miles each year to bring NG readers amazing and sometimes mesmerizing photos. This magazine truly opens one's eyes and mind.

My only minor complaint is the large number of ads in the magazine which sometimes look almost like part of a real story.

BTW, Amazon is charging too much for this magazine. You can subscribe on NG's website for almost half of what Amazon charges.

You think a magazine such as National Geographic would be about facts and true reporting of those facts of the world we are living in today. But , no, the Arab states money has clouded their facts slightly and made them into something of a fiction. They tried to change the Persian Gulf to Arabian Gulf, thinking no one would notice???? Well, Persia was there thousands of years a go and its one of the oldest civilisations of the world. New Arabian money can not and will not change that history and will not rename the Persian Gulf. Changing history usually happens when parts of history have been forgotten. Well iran and Iranians live and their history has not and will never be forgotten. As long as one Iranian lives , Persian gulf will remain Persian.

I really like this magazine with it's great colorful pictures however, lastly I think it lost its credit to me by changing some Middle eastern names such as Persian gulf to other names. Therefore I want to show my Anger by rating it low as it could be more reliable.
http://www.payvand.com/news/04/dec/1014.html

I grew up reading National Geographic, cherishing its splendid photography and exceptional journalism. Indeed, it has gotten better over time, offering cutting-edge stories ranging from genetics to global warming. To its everlasting credit, National Geographic has never lost sight of the "human element" in its stories, providing its readership with balanced reporting covering all sides of an issue, often taking the pulse of those affected. It was - and still remains - an exciting armchair "explorer", taking readers to distant locales across the globe. But now, you are as likely to read about disposing nuclear waste in the former Soviet Union as well as the people of a newly independent country in the South Pacific. One of National Geographic's strongest strengths has been its photography, and its current staff includes some of today's finest documentary photographers and photojournalists, whose work often rivals that from independent photo agencies such as Black Star and Magnum Photos. Without question, this remains one of the finest magazines published now.

National Geographic is one of the best magazines of its kind, with plenty of great photography, thoughtful articles, and diverse coverage of several different topics relating to the planet earth. Stories about wildlife, different cultures, and even environmentalism and the politics it breeds can be found on the pages within each issue.

What makes this magazine so enjoyable is the fact that it goes so in- depth in its coverage and includes stories with a personal element. When most people think about National Geographic, they usually think about the great photographs of natural wonders, exotic plants, and animal wildlife. These things are all great, but they form only part of the magazine's overall appeal. Stories about different cultures and peoples from around the world are just as good, and are usually presented in a personal way. You feel like you know the people on an intimate level when you read this magazine.

This publication contains between 120 and 160 pages in most issues, with about a dozen or so monthly departments, as well as some varied articles that change each month, but are always concentrated on nature, science, politics, culture, etc.

National Geographic is often very educational and intellectual, making it a learning device as well as a magazine for entertainment. It's one of the better, more thorough magazines on the market. Go ahead and give it a try. You just might learn something in the process.

A rose in Hell would be all the fairer as a God-breathed thing casting its beauty even in depths of darkness.

I have grown quite fond of National Geographic Magazine over the past few years. I am not a subscriber. My parents are. Yet, even as occasional bathroom lit, this magazine has enlightened me on much and changed my view on a subject more than once.

Is there any greater prophetic voice calling out in the wilderness today? None that I have found.

National Geographic has been going after some HUGE issues: the diamond trade, modern slavery, global warming, the epidemic of obesity, nuclear waste. They have covered these issues well and cast a bright light on many of the world's darkest places.

In this new age--where we have been softened and too often cozened by the prevalence of opinion, attitude and style over fact--National Geographic is the one place I know I can go for hard hitting journalism and writing (and excellent images--let's not forget that here) that rises above the everyday.

This remarkable magazine accomplishes all this and still covers the interesting places of the world (and beyond) with excellence. One recent article of this sort that springs to mind is one they did on Badlands National Park. I visited the park this summer and feel that my visit was deepened and enhanced by having first read the article.

I give National Geographic my highest recommendation.

OK it is hard to knock National Geographic, because it is essentially in a league of it's own as it covers environment, geography, cultures, etc. However after 15 years of subscription it was time to move on. The magazine has become very americanized. And the recent overindulgence in 911 and Iraq was a real turn off. It is a big world out there, surely there was more happening. The magazine typically also has a lot of editorial banter in it's articles, rather than relating information. Anyhow the search for an alternative led me to the British CNN Traveler magazine to which I am now subscribed. A little more worldly with a diminished American perspective. Geo is also a good magazine, though not available in english. Geographical magazine didn't quite pique my interest. I still may buy an occasional National Geographic if I see a good issue on the magazine racks.

I grew up on reading National Geographic. The photographs in the magazine have always been nothing short of spectacular. I also been a big fan of its tv specials and now the cable channel. My favorite issues of the magazine have always involved animals, especially marine life. Their concern for the environment is obvious but the magazine also covers people who have to live off the land like the indigenous people in the Artic. There is always two sides to every story. I also enjoy reading about other cultures from around the world, like Japan and China. After reading this magazine for over two decades, I find myself still entertained by National Geographic. The photographs and articles are consistent and interesting. It is a timeless treasure to be enjoyed for generations to come and should teach everyone to respect each other and this planet.