The National Population Atlas of China is a large-scale scientific reference atlas, which reflects comprehensively the population features and geographical distribution of our nation’s one billion population. The Atlas comprises 137 maps, and an appended table of data of 17 demographic indicators by county/city, divided into eight sections: introductory; population distribution; ethnicity; sex and age; population change; education; employed population and its industrial and occupational structures; and family, marriage and fertility. According to the presentation method, the maps in this Atlas can be divided into graduated choropletb maps, dot population maps; graphic population chropleth maps and graduated population grid maps. The compiling characteristics and presentation method of the above maps have been summarized in the article.The information used in the Atlas has been assembled mainly from various accurate and detailed data of the Third Population Census of China in 1982 and with the technique of computer mapping. A series of data processing from data extraction, indices calculation, statistical analysis, to class intervals and graphic output has been finished. This article briefly introduced the compilation of the Atlas as well as the automapping process.