Encyclopedia of China is a treasure trove of national cultural heritage. The Geography Volume, as a critical volume of Encyclopedia of China, is a handbook for geographers, serving as a gateway for the general public to acquire knowledge of geography. As a mirror that reflects the transformation of China's geography, the Geography Volume summarizes the transformation over time and draws lessons from history. The third edition ofEncyclopedia of China-Geography Volume'has focused on Southwest China as a key area for study. With an in-depth investigation on the composition and features of encyclopedia entries, this paper discusses the innovations, deficiencies and prospects of geographic progresses in Southwest China. The results show Southwest China's geographic features, such as synergetic development of tourism and landscape, major concerns for resource management and ecological protection, notable research achievements on geo-hazards, as well as prominent advantages of geo-politics and economic strategies. Based on the development of geography in Southwest, this paper suggests the following prospects: strengthening comprehensive study on basic theory and regional geography, enhancing the study of dynamic response to global change, expanding quantitative and applied research, and building human capital for scientific education in geography.