al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiyya wa al-Nabatiyya

al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiyya wa al-Nabatiyya (Climatic and Plant Geography) is an Arabic academic textbook on climatology and phytogeography by the Egyptian geographer Abd al-Aziz Turayh Sharaf al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.

Purpose and Scope

Sharaf authored the work to address physical geography through the study of climate and plant life al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…. In his preface, he articulated two primary objectives: first, to serve as an in-depth reference for geography instructors and specialized university students by presenting contemporary theories in climatology as well as related fields such as meteorology, hydrology, agriculture, and botany; and second, to employ an accessible explanatory style supplemented with maps and diagrams to facilitate independent study for non-specialists al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….

Structure and Contents

The book spans fourteen numbered chapters and concludes with four appendices al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1:

1. Climatic Thought: Explores the historical progression of climatic ideas from antiquity through the European Renaissance and the early twentieth century to contemporary trends, including microclimatology and applied climatology al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
2. The Atmosphere: Examines atmospheric composition, structural layers, measurement methods, and weather station instruments al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
3. Solar Radiation: Covers solar radiation components, calculation of incoming radiation, global distribution, and measurement al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.
4. Atmospheric Temperature: Details latitudinal temperature distribution, maritime and continental influences, altitude, temperature inversion, thermometric measurements, and cartographic representation al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
5. Atmospheric Pressure: Discusses pressure measurement, horizontal distribution, permanent pressure belts, global circulation, and upper-air pressure al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
6. Winds: Treats wind velocity and direction, surface wind systems (such as trade winds, westerlies, and monsoons), and upper-level winds al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.
7. Air Masses, Depressions, and Tropical Cyclones: Analyzes air mass origins and stability, mid-latitude depressions, associated local winds, and revolving storms such as tornadoes al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
8. Evaporation and Atmospheric Humidity: Outlines evaporation factors, measurement, transpiration, total evapotranspiration, and humidity measurement al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
9. Condensation and Precipitation: Covers near-surface condensation (fog, dew, frost), cloud formations, rainfall types, thunderstorms, solid precipitation, rainfall measurement issues, variations, regimes, and global distribution al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.
10. Climatic Classifications: Discusses classification principles and reviews major classification schemes, notably those of Wladimir Köppen and A. Austin Miller al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
11. World Climates: Details the climates of hot, warm temperate, cool temperate, cold, polar, and desert regions al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.
12. Climate of Africa: Analyzes geographical and oceanic controls, topographic influences, pressure systems, air masses, and the regional climatic divisions of Africa al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.
13. Climate of the Arab World: Focuses on location, topography, seasonal pressure centers, wind patterns, air masses, temperature, precipitation regimes, and Köppen-based regional divisions across the Arab world al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….
14. Plant Geography: Details the environmental factors governing vegetation growth (climatic elements like rain, heat, and light; and edaphic factors such as soil formation, materials, and classifications), followed by major natural vegetation formations, including tropical, warm temperate, and cool temperate forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra, and mountain vegetation al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.

The book ends with four appendices containing climate data tables for Köppen stations, temperature unit conversion scales (Celsius to Fahrenheit), measurement conversion tables (centimeters to inches), and temperature and precipitation statistics for meteorological stations in Arab countries al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy….

Reception and Publication

The text was published in Alexandria and became a recognized reference in physical geography curricula across Arab universities, going through multiple printings, including an eleventh edition in which the author introduced substantial revisions and added dedicated chapters on the climates of Africa and the Arab world al-Jughrafiya al-Manakhiy…+1.