The Permian System contains a great number and diversity of depositional sequences (Fig. 1) which illustrate sedimentary responses to a series of sealevel fluctuations. These sea-level fluctuations had many different amplitudes and durations, and were accompanied by a wide spectrum of rates of deposition (Fig. 2). The mid-continent and southwestern North American stable cratonic successions serve as the basis for our Permian sea-level interpretations (Ross and Ross 1987a, b, 1988); however, equally useful sections appear to be present in China, particularly South China. In the southern hemisphere, Western Australia has marine and glacial-marine depositional sequences that may eventually help tie sea-level events in high and middle latitudes of Gondwana with those of low latitudes of cratonic North America and the Tethys.