This is a stunning globe. It is constructed as a 1/8" thick plastic sphere with a metal base and meridian. It appears very solid and well-made. The land masses and oceans are illustrated by satellite photos. They show the planet as it actually looks, complete with deserts, grasslands, forests, polar ice, snow-capped mountain ranges, continental shelves, island chains and atolls, and deep ocean ridges and trenches. The surface application of the map display is seamless.
The continents are divided into countries and identify major cities, regions, and geographic features. Lesser geographic features are not labeled--particularly rivers, which aren't even shown (though that appears to be due to the resolution of the satellite photos used). It also lacks latitude and longitude lines, though it does show the equator and international date line, along with some related time zone info. The lighted feature illuminates cities and populated areas, showing what Earth would look like at night as viewed from space.
Basically, this globe is a realistic representation of the planet with the major features labeled. I consider it more ornamental than cartographic, although the planet's surface is shown as it actually appears. I would not recommend this globe for scholastic or detailed reference purposes (apart from its use as a realistic model), though it is by far more appealing than standard globes if you simply want one for general reference and display. The lighted feature is spectacular in the dark!
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