美国国家地理杂志创刊于1888年，它由美国的一家非盈利科学教育组织——“国家地理协会”（Natioinal Geographic Society）创办。

国家地理杂志近千分之一的选片率虽然显得苛刻，但一大批充满理想和浪漫主义的优秀摄影师、记者在这里诞生，而那些有灵魂有激情的作品则往往代表了一种标准。

在大多数读者眼中，国家地理杂志意味着权威、科学性、准官方，它更像是一本百科全书而不仅仅是一本杂志，它更多的时候融合了历史、文学、科学和人类学，它使地球更像是一个生动而有活力的村落。

National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official magazine of the National Geographic Society. It has been published continuously since its first issue in 1888, nine months after the Society itself was founded. It primarily contains articles about science, geography, history, and world culture. The magazine is known for its thick square-bound glossy format with a yellow rectangular border and its extensive use of dramatic photographs. Controlling interest in the magazine has been held by 21st Century Fox since 2015.

The magazine is published monthly, and additional map supplements are also included with subscriptions. It is available in a traditional printed edition and through an interactive online edition. On occasion, special editions of the magazine are issued.