National Geographic has just released the best pictures of 2017 which promises a carefully curated selection of photographs by some of the best photographers in the world. Out of the 88 photographers, 112 stories, and nearly 2 million photographs submitted, these are just some of the lucky few who made the cut.
We present to you the definitive snapshots that reflect how impeccably human we were this 2017.
In the overcrowded Quezon City Jail, 2,072 of 3,036 inmates are imprisoned for drug-related offenses. This photo was originally published in “In Philippine Drug War, Death Rituals Substitute for Justice,” in February 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM DEAN
“The best thing about being a girl is, now I don’t have to pretend to be a boy.” – Avery Jackson, Kansas City, Missouri. This photo was originally published in, “In Their Words: How Children Are Affected by Gender Issues,” in January 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBIN HAMMOND
A tourist on a boat in Laguna San Ignacio reaches into the water in the hope of petting one of many gray whales that frequent the bay to mate and care for their young. Once feared by fishermen, the unusually friendly animals are now a crucial part of the economy. This photo was originally published in “Baja California’s Recipe for Saving Fishing Communities,” in September 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY THOMAS P. PESCHAK
Wearing a curtain and a cardboard crown, Kristina Khudi becomes the “tundra princess” in the Nenets camp near the Kara Sea. The eight-year-old says her happiest time is summer, when a helicopter sent by Gazprom and the regional government brings her and other kids home from school to their migrating families. This photo was originally published in, “They Migrate 800 Miles a Year. Now It’s Getting Tougher.,” in October 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY EVGENIA ARBUGAEVA
Fireflies dart in the forest at Santa Clara Sanctuary. This photo was originally published in “How Fireflies Are Keeping This Tiny Mexican Town Alive,” in August 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY KIRSTEN LUCE
Angelito Luciano, 41, was a local volunteer community official who assisted police with anti-drug operations. He was killed in what appears to be a drug-related execution, according to police reports. This photo was originally published in, “In Philippine Drug War, Death Rituals Substitute for Justice,” in February 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM DEAN
Mauli Dhan climbs a hundred feet up a bamboo rope ladder to his prize: a hive filled with neurotoxic honey. Smoke from smoldering grass disorients the bees, possibly reducing the number of stings Mauli will suffer. Before he grabs the support rope beside him, a misstep could be fatal. This photo was originally published in “The Last Death-Defying Honey Hunter of Nepal,” in July 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY RENAN OZTURK
Aarti, nine, is vulnerable to sexual violence as she sells flowers alone on a rain-swept Delhi street. Despite the risk, millions of children around the world work to help support their families instead of attending school. This photo was originally published in “For These Girls, Danger Is a Way of Life,” in January 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHANIE SINCLAIR
Drew Moore, 11, poses with his air gun collection in his bedroom, where the definition of a boy is stenciled on the wall. In his Arkansas community, hunting and manhood are entwined: “It’s not that we don’t like” men who don’t hunt, says his stepmom, Callie, “but we sure do like the ones who do.” This photo was originally published in “The Many Ways Society Makes a Man,” in January 2017 PHOTOGRAPH BY PETE MULLER
Outside a chicheria in Lamay, Peru, in the Sacred Valley of the Inca Empire, Lucio Chávez Díaz drinks a glass of chicha frutillada, a corn beer flavored with strawberries. The pure beers, wines, and spirits of today are a historical exception; alcoholic beverages have long been doctored with everything from pine needles to tree resins to honey. This photo was originally published in “Our 9,000-Year Love Affair With Booze,” in February 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN FINKE
At a Hindu temple near their home in Delhi, India, three generations of a family with albinism pose for a rare family portrait. When two people with albinism—a recessive genetic trait—have children, the children will have albinism. This photo was originally published in “For Them, Being Pale Can Bring Scorn, Threats, and Worse,” in June 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHANIE SINCLAIR
The DMZ Peace Train carries South Korean soldiers and tourists from Seoul to train terminals closest to the DMZ. Each cabin has a different theme—peace, love, and harmony—which were designed to inspire feelings of hope and reconciliation. This photo was originally published in “Korea’s Heavily Armed Border Is Packed With Tourists,” in November 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID GUTTENFELDER
The desire to teach their children about computers drew these Samburu women to a classroom in a settlement north of Nairobi. They are learning about tablets—designed to withstand tough use—that connect to the Internet through a satellite and come preloaded with educational programs. Technology now has arrived in isolated regions of Africa primarily in the form of relatively inexpensive cell phones. This photo was originally published in,”How Africa’s Tech Generation Is Changing the Continent,” in Decemer 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY CIRIL JAZBEC
“For a guy who is managed to the second and is always in suits and ties, being out in the middle of the ocean had to be a real treat,” says photographer Brian Skerry. He hopes this image of Barack Obama snorkeling will draw attention to ocean conservation efforts. This photo was originally published in “Snorkeling With the President: How Our Photographer Got the Shot,” in February 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN SKERRY
Writer Mark Synnott scales a cliff in Uzbekistan’s Boysuntov Range. Within this limestone wall lies a winding underworld. So far, eight missions have explored Dark Star. No one knows how far the cave extends. This photo was originally published in “Is This the Underground Everest?,” in March 2017. PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBBIE SHONE
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