The National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to National Geographic, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded. It has become one of the world's best-known magazines and is immediately identifiable by the characteristic yellow border running around the edge of its cover.There are 12 monthly issues of National Geographic per year, plus additional map supplements. On rare occasions, special editions are also issued. It contains articles about geography, popular science, history, culture, current events, and photography. The current Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic Magazine is the renowned photographer, Chris Johns, who has photographed extensively in Africa. The foreword to Johns' own illustrated book on Africa was written by Nelson Mandela.Society Executive Vice President John Q. Griffin, and President of the Magazine Group, has overall responsibility for the English language magazines at National Geographic. Terry B. Adamson, Society Executive Vice President who also is the Society's chief legal officer and heads governmental relations, has overall responsibility for the Society's international publications.With a worldwide circulation in all languages of nearly nine million, more than fifty million people read the magazine every month. In May, 2007, National Geographic magazine won the American Society of Magazine Editors' prestigious General Excellence Award in the over two million circulation category and the best photography award for three issues of the magazine in 2006.国家地理杂志》(National Geographic Magazine,或简称为《国家地理》)是美国国家地理学会的官方杂志,在国家地理学会1888年成立后的9个月开始发行第一期。现在国家地理杂志已经成为世界上最广为人知的一本杂志,其封面上的亮黄色边框及月桂纹图样已经成为其象征,同时这些标识也是国家地理杂志的注册商标。国家地理杂志每年发行12次(此杂事为月刊),每刊带有辅助地图。但偶尔有特版发行则不在此限。杂志的内容包括地理,科普文章,历史,文化, 实事和照片。杂志现在的首席主编是著名的摄影记者克里斯•约翰斯(Chris Johns),他曾经拍摄了大量的关于非洲的照片。原南非总统纳尔逊•曼德拉(Nelson Mandela)曾经为克里斯的书撰写了前言。约翰•格里芬,美国国家地理学会的行政副总裁和国家地理杂志的主席主要负责本杂志英文版的所有事物。泰瑞•阿达姆森,另一名美国国家地理学会专门负责法律事务和政府公关的行政副总裁主要负责杂志的国际版所有事务。国家地理杂志每个月以各种不同的语言出版9 百万册,并拥有超过5百万的读者。