Physical atlas: Indian Ocean

This chart of the Indian Ocean shows currents, winds including the monsoons and water temperature. The Indian Ocean has enormous influence on east Asian and northern Australian weather patterns with the annual monsoon, and coupled with the Pacific Ocean's El-Nino influences rainfall in Australia.

Johnston's first edition was produced in 1848. The 1848 edition was entirely engraved. Maps are hand coloured. A second enlarged edition of the atlas was produced in 1856 in which most of the maps were lithographed in color, although some were still engraved.

Alexander Johnston (1804-71) was a geographer, cartographer and publisher. He was a great innovator who pioneered the development of thematic atlases. Born in in Kirkhill, Scotland and educated in Edinburgh, Johnston originally trained as an engraver and cartographer. In 1826, with his brother William, he set up the famous geographical publishing house of W & A K Johnston in 1826. They published maps, atlases, globes and gazetteers. The production of the National Atlas of General Geography in 1843 led to Alexander's appointment as Geographer Royal for Scotland. A number of other ground breaking publications followed, including several editions of the Physical Atlas. This huge undertaking illustrated the then known botany, geology, hydrology, meteorology and zoology of the planet. A Dictionary of Geography was published in 1850, followed by the production of the world's first physical globe. This won a prize at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and is now preserved in the offices of the Royal Geographical Society in London. In 1851 an Astronomical Atlas appeared, followed by the Atlas of Natural Phenomena, and the Royal Atlas in 1861.

Alexander Johnston was also heavily involved in geographical exploration. He worked with the Royal Geographical Society to plan expeditions to Africa and was a friend of explorer David Livingstone (1813-73). Johnston died in Yorkshire, England in 1871. His geographical publishing company continued but the original name disappeared when the company was taken over in the 1960s.

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