"Like the 1950 edition of this authoritative handbook on the Middle East, the new Chatam House publication maintains the standard of excellence in scholarly analysis, conciseness, and balance that is expected of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Since the second edition incorporates throughout a vast array of new data on political and economic problems, it largely supersedes the earlier work.
The volume is divided into two parts. The introductory portion presents in a condensed but meaningful survey the historical background, religious elements, and socio-economic aspects of the Middle East. The bulk of the volume is then devoted to a country-by-country analysis, including Arabia, Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Iran (Persia), Sudan, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey. A fairly reasonable apportionment of space is maintained between various countries in terms of the relative significance of the respective areas. Inclusion of the sheikdoms of Arabia is most valuable in view of their international importance due to oil explorations which are now proceeding."
