Egypt埃及
Curatorial Note
AI-curated draftThe tradition of national atlases in Egypt emerged during the early 20th century, a period marked by growing national consciousness and a desire to systematically document the country’s geography. The sole atlas in this collection, the *Atlas of Egypt* (1928), was prepared at the request of King Fuad I for the 1928 Cambridge Geographical Congress. This work synthesized contemporary knowledge of Egypt’s orography and geology, reflecting a collaborative effort to present a unified scientific portrait of the nation. Its editorial approach combined cartographic precision with thematic breadth, integrating physical and human geography within a single volume. The atlas not only served as a reference for scholars but also symbolized Egypt’s modern identity on an international stage. Its legacy lies in setting a benchmark for future regional mapping projects, demonstrating how a national atlas could both inform and inspire. Today, it remains a valuable historical document, capturing a moment when Egypt asserted its place in the global geographical community through meticulous scholarship and royal patronage.
The Shelves
This is the first volume of the national atlas tradition in our collection.
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Review1929Review: The Atlas of Egypt
Van Cleef, Eugene
This paper presents a critical review of the *Atlas of Egypt*, compiled, drawn, and printed in Egypt as the country’s contribution to the International Geographical Congress in Cambridge. The work is lauded as a delightful piece of workmanship, with primary credit given to H. Sirry Bey, Surveyor‑General of Egypt since 1927, and his collaborators. The review examines the atlas’s principal map series. The general and orographical maps by Dr. John Ball reflect the vastly increased knowledge of the desert gained through motorized exploration; they display routes of regular motor communication and major recent expeditions, notably those of Prince Kemal el‑Din Hussein. Two striking new features are the Gebel Owenat massif, revealed by Hassanein Bey in 1923, and the Qattara Depression, proven in 1926 to reach 137 m below sea level. The orographic map departs from the international millionth scheme by reserving green exclusively for arable land and using brown and gray tints for desert, thereby emphasizing the fundamental distinction between cultivated and barren terrain. Geological maps by W. F. Hume and O. H. Little supply detailed coverage, especially in the Sinai Peninsula. The meteorological section, by L. J. Sutton, includes six maps of recognized weather types and diagrams showing that relative humidity in the northern Sudan during April–May falls virtually to zero. The population‑density map (1:500 000) is extraordinarily effective, employing pale buff for desert and seven gray‑blue gradations from below 100 to over 1000 persons per km²; its pattern closely matches the map of agricultural raw material value. Economic maps and diagrams, with explanatory text by J. I. Craig, further reveal the density of cotton cultivation (maximum in the middle delta) and the prevalence of double‑cropping. The reviewer concludes that the atlas represents a major cartographic achievement, skillfully synthesizing physical, demographic, and economic data.
- Article1930The new atlas of Egypt
Hussein Sirry Bey
This paper introduces the New Atlas of Egypt, prepared at the request of the King of Egypt for the 1928 Cambridge Geographical Congress. The atlas integrates current knowledge of Egypt's orography, geology, meteorology and economic geography. Its 1/M-scale orographic map represents the first systematic contouring of the country's entire surface, with rapid progress attributed to motorized desert transport. Two major discoveries are highlighted: water sources in the Libyan Desert form a continuous gently-curved underground surface enabling strategic well siting, and the Qattara Depression—18,000 km² below sea level—offers potential for 200,000 kW of hydroelectric power. Meteorological maps cover the whole Nile basin from 58 stations. Economic maps reveal cultivation and population deficiencies in the northern Delta and the higher value of perennially irrigated Upper Egyptian lands, underscoring the need for further irrigation works.
From the Physical Collection
Photographs are being prepared for this hall.