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PREFACE.
IN the first part of this little book an attempt has been made to give students a
zrasp of those important physical facts in accordance with which countries have
been divided into ‘natural regions,’ and in the second part to show the influence
of the physical features of such areas on thelife of mankind. Special attention has.
iherefore, been paid to the relief of the land and to climate.
The orographical maps on pp. 7, 77, and 95 have been constructed after the series
»f hand .mags published by the Diagram Company, and I must express my gratitude
to that company for their kind permission for their reproduction, For the map
illustrating the geological structure of Asia on p. 11, and for those showing the
distribution of rainfall, I owe my thanks to Mr. Herbertaon, Professor of Geography
at Oxford, to whose writings I am also indebted for much concerning the demarca-
sion of the various natural regions which I have adopted. To facilitate the study
»f climate, some statistics have been inserted (see pp. 122 and 128) for purposes of
reference and comparison. *
The economic aspect of the subject has been kept well in mind, and it is hoped
hat the many views of important productions, and the maps illustrating the dis-
iribution of the same, will prove a useful feature in the book, while the diagrams
given on pp. 125-127 should help students to acquire some sense of proportion. In
reference to this branch of the subject I must acknowledge the help I have derived
from the ‘ Handbook of Commercial Geography,’ by Mr. G. G. Chisholm, the Atlas
of the World’s Commerce, by Bartholomew, and the ‘ Stateaman’s Year-Book? for
1910.
Other works which I have found useful for the description of various regions,
and which students would do well to consult for further information‘ than can be
given in & text-book of this size, are; ‘From the North Pole to the Equator,’ by
Brehm; the ‘ Historical Geography of the Holy Land,’ by G. A. Smith; the ‘New
[mperial Gazetteer of India’; the volume on ‘India,’ by Sir T. Holdich, and on
‘The Far East,’ by Mr. Little, of the series entitled ‘ Regions of the World ’; and
‘he volume on ‘ Asia,’ in the series of ‘ Deseriptive Geographies, by F. D. and A. J.
Herbertson.
The book will be found to contain sufficient information, with regard to the area
described, for candidates for geographical examinations of the standard of London
Matriculation, and is well adapted for the use of students in the upper forms of
schools and in Pupil Teacher Centres,
In conclusion, I have to thank Mr. G, G. Chisholm, M.A.,, B.Se., Leeturer in
Geography in the University of Edinburgh, for kindly revising the book, and making
several yaluable suggestions.
J. RR. R.
‚on Published August, 1908,