Atlas & Book Reviews: Atlas of Saudi Arabia, 3rd ed.

Summary

This is an academic review of the Atlas of Saudi Arabia (3rd ed., 1978) by Hussein Hamza Bindagji. The review highlights the atlas's significance given Saudi Arabia's growing importance due to oil, strategic location, and political influence. It details the atlas's contents, including historical, settlement, physical, economic, transportation, administrative, and city maps, while noting both strengths and weaknesses. Strengths include effective use of color and a fascinating tribal map; weaknesses include unclear legends, lack of a gazetteer, unmarked undefined borders, and absence of maps on cultural, educational, medical, and water resource indicators. The review concludes that despite shortcomings, the atlas is a valuable addition to map collections, with hopes for future improvements.