1967 Amin Arabic Climate Map of the Arabian Peninsula

A colorful and highly-detailed Arabic-language climate map of the Arabian Peninsula and environs produced c. 1967 by M. Amin. Aside from its comprehensiveness as a climatic map, it also features textual commentary in a defiant anti-colonialist tone.

A Closer Look

Coverage includes the Arabian Peninsula and much of the Levant, along with the Sinai Peninsula. The main map uses color-shading to indicate elevation, with orange shades demonstrating higher elevation and green lower. Rivers, railways, roads, oil fields and pipelines, air routes, the hajj route to Mecca and Medina, and other features are labeled according to a legend below the title. Below and to the right of the legend is a table of abbreviations. Cities and towns, coastal features (capes, bays, etc.), waterways, and the like are also noted. A smaller, simpler inset map to the right emphasizes cities, railways, and pipelines.

The extensive text at right provides a geographical and climatological overview of the region, discussing details such as its latitude, elevation, mountain ranges, rivers, rainfall, and soil. Historical asides are also included, reflecting a strong anti-colonialist tone, with discussion of conquerors, invaders, and colonialists seeking the natural riches of the peninsula (al-Jazeera الجزيرة), which flourished for most of history while the West remained an undeveloped backwater. The region is praised as the cradle of global civilization, the 'land of prophets and messengers,' and the home of the three Abrahamic religions.

At bottom-right, a series of illustrations and text explain wind patterns, seasonal weather changes, and other issues affecting climate. At the bottom-left are sections on the topography of the Arabian Peninsula and how it is affected by the seasons, below which is a section on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Finally, at extreme bottom-left is a depiction of the Persian Gulf with the modern coastline compared with that of the 4th century and the era of the ancient Assyrian Empire.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by M. Amin (م. امين), noted as former member of the Iraqi Ministry of Education, and was printed by the Directorate of Public Survey (مديرية المساحة العامة) in Baghdad. It is undated, though it is noted as being the third edition of the map. It may have appeared as a supplement to the 1967 Geography of Arab Asia (جغرافية آسيا العربية) by Rahdi Abdul Hadi (راضي عبد الهادي) et al (OCLC 794909689).