The new atlas of Egypt

Summary

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.