The Earth has existed for more than 4600 million years, during this time continents have formed, broken up, collided and drifted apart. Land masses have been submerged, sea beds lifted up, mountain ranges and sea basins have formed. Plants and animals have appeared, evolved and disappeared. This atlas presents to the general reader the history of the Earth since its formation. The atlas draws on the latest scientific data to produce maps and illustrations which reconstruct the changing geography of the Earth.