What are the three main types of atlases?

The three main types of atlases refer to collections of maps and geographic information, not the mythological Titan, and they are generally classified by purpose and content. The first type is the reference or general world atlas, which is the most common type found in homes, schools, and libraries, containing comprehensive maps of the world, continents, countries, states, and cities, showing political boundaries, physical features like mountains and rivers, and often including population, climate, and economic data, with examples like National Geographic Atlas of the World and Times Atlas of the World. The second type is the thematic or special-purpose atlas, which focuses on a specific theme or subject rather than general geography, such as historical atlases showing changing borders over time, medical atlases like anatomical atlases of the human body, road atlases for navigation, astronomical atlases of stars and planets, or environmental atlases showing climate, population density, or agriculture. The third type is the national or regional atlas, which provides detailed geographic information about a single country or region, often produced by government mapping agencies, such as Atlas of Canada, National Atlas of the United States, or state atlases, containing detailed topographic maps, land use, geology, and census data specific to that area. Some classifications also add children's atlases and digital interactive atlases as modern types, but the traditional three are general, thematic, and national atlases.