新编国家自然地图集的特点与创新包括：①基础科学资料与数据在时间与空间上明显地延伸与更新,更全面显示20 世纪我国地学与生物学的科学积累； ②贯彻 “可持续发展”战略与结合当今社会关注的焦点,集中反映我国自然资源、自然灾害与自然利用保护,突出了人与自然的关系；③学科层次进一步深化，较多的动植物地图很好地显示我国生物多样性及其研究的深入；④突出反映了我国地球科学研究的新进展与新贡献，有力地阐明我国自然环境的形成与演变规律；⑤地图集的设计和编制方法与技术有很大创新与突破,实现了由传统工艺向全数字化的计算机设计、编辑与自动制版的根本变革。

The “National Natural Atlas of China” (1999 edition) contains 540 maps in eight series of general, natural environment (geology and geophysics, geomorphology, climate, hydrology, soil, biology, and oceanography), natural resources, natural disasters and the utilizatioand protection of nature as well as 300 000 words of notes to the maps. The characteristics and new creations of the atlas as the following: 1. Basic scientific data and digits were extended and renewed on the time and space obviously, so it displayed scientific accumulations of geography and biology of China completely; 2. To implement the strategy of sustainable development, it concentrated reflected natural resources, natural disasters and the utilization and protection of natural resources in China, and stressed on the relationship between human and nature; 3. Deepened scientific specialization, many maps about animals and plants well reflected the biological diversity and deep research on it; 4. Fully reflected new advance and contribution of geographic scientific research of China, and expounded the forming and developing laws of natural environment; 5. There were more new creations and breakthroughs on designing and compiling methods and technologies, and realized thoroughly revolution from traditional technology to complete digitalization of computer design, compilation and automatic plate making.