From the devastating impacts that have had on Myanmar to the reshaping of global commerce, join Geographical's May Issue.
In the May issue, discover how Myanmar is torn apart by the civil war, exacerbated by the devastation that was destroyed by the earthquake in March. Find out about your ability to decipher the noisy coral reefs, head to New Zealand and uncover the fascinating story of revitalizing the lives of birds in the capital.
Literary enthusiasts will jump into an interview with travel writer Jeff Dyer in overcrowded tourist spots around the world. And why is the earth still worth wandering? Are you packing books to read? Our reviewed readings will sound your interests neatly, from expeditions and monster people to meditations about life in modern urban jungle.
Our columnists bring a set of topics to the forefront to help you stay at the top of the world. Marco Magrini takes into account the climatic consequences of the dim planet, and Tim Marshall discusses the limitations of Vladimir Putin's global ambitions in an extract from the fully reformed edition of his bestselling book, a prison for his bestselling book. Andrew Brooks examines how geographers must continue to challenge false ideas and develop new theories of truth.
Danish adventurer Thor Pedersen joins in visiting every country in the world on one unbreakable journey, without airplanes. In the same memo from the exploration, Rory Walsh visits unique terrain, shaped by waters across Irish waters, while Tristan Kennedy steps into the spring through nature hikes.
This month, Geographical's cover story takes us into the reality of myanmar's cruel life. As the ongoing humanitarian crisis continues, share the unfortunate trauma you have experienced over the past four years and discover more about the country in an interview with one Burmese woman, Taurus.
In the wake of Trump's tariff announcement, Mark Lowe asks whether such tariffs could rethink their ability to unite the world, and how future trade forces will change.
Our digital version is now available, allowing you to read all the great stories in that issue, but our app also gives you access to our full archives dating back to 1935 to explore hundreds of magazines. And if you want to enjoy beautifully designed and produced Print Magazine, you can post your next edition anywhere in the world. Join us and stay at the top of the world!
Transforming landscape of world trade
Global trade is changing – it's not just tariffs. Trump's latest import tax volley grabs headlines and rattle markets, but the actual changes are happening beneath the surface. The traditional trade axis, which has long been dominated to the West, is steadily eroding. Instead, more complex, multipolar landscapes are emerging. It is driven by rising economic ambitions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Trade is rising from the south to the south, countries are building new regional partnerships and bypassing traditional economic gatekeepers. Meanwhile, North-to-North trade, once the backbone of the global economy, is declining. China is now the largest trading partner of 120 countries, and its belt and road initiatives have rewired the entire continent. Supported by population growth and new intracontinental agreements, Africa has stepped into a central role. Middle-income countries like Turkey and Indonesia are navigating an increasingly unstable landscape by diversifying their trade ties and asserting greater independence.
In this insightful feature, Mark Lowe examines the structural power of restructuring global commerce. What happens when trade bloc fragments, supply chain fragments, and tariffs become diplomatic weapons? In a world where rules are constantly being rewritten, can a nation still flourish?
With protectionism rising under tension and multilateralism tense, the question is no longer who is trading the most, but who controls the terms. Is this just a swing of another pendulum, or is it witnessing the birth of a fundamentally different global order with dispersed influence and no one dominates the market?
He doesn't understand President Putin's global ambitions
The Russian war in Ukraine was not just an invasion, it was a miscalculation. In this exclusive excerpt from the newly updated geographical prisoner, Tim Marshall unleashes Putin's obsession with boundaries, buffer zones, and the mythology of “new Russia.” What began as a swift land grab turned into a brutal throw, revealing not only military flaws but deepening the rifts of Russia's global strategy.
Gas and oil were intended to freeze and submit Europe. They didn't. Moscow's grip, which is now detached from the most profitable market and increasingly dependent on China, is weakening. However, the map is still unstable. New flashpoints are appearing from Moldova to the suwałki gap. Will Baltics be next? Will NATO be retained? And what happens when Trump returns to the White House?
Marshall continues to connect the dots between history, terrain and power, showing that geography continues to shape the future of conflict.
Follow in the footsteps of homers all over the world
Odyssey is a story of monsters, shipwrecks, and gods, but what if it is also a map? In mapping mythology, Laura Coffey sails through the Mediterranean in search of real-world locations that may have influenced Homer's fascinating islands, from the volcanic glows of Stromboli to the quiet coasts of Marettimo and Menorca. Ancient scholars believed that these places had an echo of epic adventures. Today, scientists and classicists still make claims about all caves, present, and coastlines, stitching together centuries-old clues and poetic fragments with geographical speculations.
But this is more than just a literary treasure hunt. It's about how myths settle into the landscape. It's about how stories leave traces in real places, and how those places began to tell stories. Coffey isn't just looking for Odysseus' route. She asks what it means to try. Maps are not just directions, they are shaped by memories, desires and beliefs. They tell us what we cherish, what we fear, what we choose to remember. So can we really plot myths? Or are we crossing the ocean sketching our hopes, looking for the meaning of the gap?
Is Everest overcrowded with tourists?
Seven decades after the historic climbs of Hillary and Norgay, Everest is buckled under the weight of its own popularity. Our latest geography reveals the ultimate test of human endurance, with long lines at the top and mountains of garbage scattered along the way. The so-called “the world's best junk” is no longer just a minority.
This year, Nepal is about to fight back. New regulations limit mountain climbing permits and raise peak season fees to an eye-catching $15,000. But does that work? The price of prestige may still be too appealing to resist, as climbers have already fired six figures for shots at the summit.
Myanmar compound disasters
Myanmar is at war with itself and nature. In March, the country was shaken by the most powerful earthquake in more than a century. The houses collapsed, the hospitals collapsed, and landslides destroyed the mountains. But as the country was already deeply immersed in a brutal civil war, the disaster struck a country already on its brink.
Stuart Butler reports from the frontline of a failed state. Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been caught up in chaos. The junta controls more than a third of the country, but the patchwork of rebels and shadow governments (national unified government) controls the rest. Even if a catastrophe occurs, the airstrikes continue. More than 6,000 civilians have been killed since the coup. More than 21,000 political prisoners remain behind the bar. And now, forced military service for young men and women is driving massive flights from the city.
Through the eyes of the Taurus – Butler, a Yangon woman whose family has been torn apart by a military raid, witnesses the costs of human repression.
Politics isn't the only civil war in Myanmar. It's about identity, economics, power. From the fatal Rohingya crackdown to the fight over rare earth mines in Kachin province, this is at odds with regional and even global consequences. As Butler writes, the fight is already destroying a vulnerable society. But in the tile rub there is a moment of faint flickering of resistance, survival, and hope.
