Egypt lies at a crossroads between Africa, Asia, and Europe and is the largest country in the Middle East. In terms of population, it ranks 15th in the world. Most of its 79 million residents live near the Nile River, which is the country's most prominent geographical feature and the world's longest river. Egypt's other primary geographical feature, its deserts, also played a significant role in the development of its civilization, which dates from 3000 BCE. The Nile helped in the cultivation of crops, while the deserts helped keep Egypt isolated from other civilizations. These fascinating facts are highlighted in ""Egypt, Second Edition"", an updated, full-color exploration of the people, culture, history, geography, environment, economy, and government of one of the world's most intriguing nations.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula and the world's leading petroleum producer and exporter. Most of the country has a desert climate, averaging less than an inch of precipitation a year, and temperatures often reach well above 100[degrees]F. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been thrust into the limelight by allowing Western and Arab forces to use the country to deploy their forces during the First Gulf War in 1991 and, more recently, as a place where Islamist terrorist group al-Qaeda has begun to use as a base for its operations. ""Saudi Arabia"" is an in-depth guide that paints a vivid picture of this striking country thanks to its wealth of full-color photographs and maps and its readable text. Perfect for student research, this book is an invaluable exploration of the people, culture, history, geography, environment, economy, and government of Saudi Arabia.