The Zondervan NIV Atlas of the Bible is the most comprehensive Bible atlas available for personal and classroom study. It is designed for both quick reference and detailed study. The GEOGRAPHICAL SECTION presents the physical geography of the lands of the biblical world, from Egypt to Mesopotamia. Clear, detailed descriptions will give the reader a vivid picture of regions that are the backdrop of biblical history and that influenced, to a much greater degree than commonly understood, the course of that history. The Israel/Jordan region especially is discussed in depth. The Atlas divides the area into twenty-three natural regions and discusses physical features such as distances, topography, climate, natural lines of communication, soil types, agricultural uses, major sources of water, and role in biblical times. The reader can visualize the various regions with the help of "block diagrams," which provide a three-dimensional, bird's-eye view of each region. The HISTORICAL SECTION presents in detail the flow of biblical history in its geographical context and shows how geography influenced the course of biblical history. Each chapter in this section begins with a chronological chart for the period under discussion, allowing the reader to see at a glance how the history of Israel fit into the history of the Ancient Near East as a whole.