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Notes: Conclusion The fact that Arab and Muslim geographers had contributed in a substantial way to geographical thought is well-recognized by many scholars of international standing including orientalists. It has now also been proved beyond any doubt that Muslim geographic thought was transmitted through Spain (Andalusia), Italy and Sicily during the Middle Ages to Europe. The Muslims had more advanced culture than did most of medieval Europe, and had made great discoveries in various fields of study (Hasan 1967). They had also preserved many of the writings of ancient Greek, Roman and other oriental civilizations. It was through Spain that the Muslims made these works as well as their own contribution available for European scholars. The centres of learning in Muslim Spain were thriving, with scholars from many places and particularly so from Europe. As Arabic was the language of culture and learning, many books were translated from Arabic into Latin and other European languages including German, French and English (Ahmed 1947; Hasan 1967; Kish 1978; James & Martin 1981; Muhammadain 1988). It is also understood that when geographical works were not translated some of the ideas and concepts revealed in them were adopted in other translated works. With the final collapse of Muslim rule in Spain (1492 AD), Muslim intellectual centres were opened to Christians from all over Europe. Indeed, translations from Arabic into European languages continued well into the 16th century, and some of the translated books remained in use until the 17th century. To ignore, as did some writers, the contribution of Muslims to geography during the Middle Ages, and to claim that the European Renaissance developed independently of what was happening in the Islamic world, is to dismiss seven centuries of Muslim leadership of world culture. Surely, no one nation or group of people can claim all the achievements of our present civilization. Present-day civilization is actually the sum total of all the past human efforts which have been accumulated over the long years of man's existence on earth, and as such there can be no gaps in human cultural history. While accepting the fact that the contribution of the various groups of people to the advancement of culture has not been the same, all are participants and have shared in its building and development. By looking at human cultural history in this spirit, it would not be difficult to appreciate the positive role played by the Arabs and Muslims in the advancement of knowledge during the Middle Ages. One of these branches of knowledge, which we have been trying to explain in this essay, is geography. To put the contribution of Arab and Muslim geographers into even more perspective, one can say that their most outstanding and original contributions, as has been stated before, were in the field of regional and mathematical geography as well as surveying. Although most of the studies were concerned with regions or individual countries, some contributions were highly specialized dealing with only one topic, such as climate or plants. The regional approach is represented by the many books written with the title: “Al-Masalik wa Al-Mamalik” or “Roads and Provinces”, and those with the title: “Al-Bilad” or “Countries”. As has been indicated earlier in this essay, treatment in these regional studies has beencomprehensive covering almost all aspects of physical and human geography. To contemporary Muslim people the science of geography will continue to be as appealing as it was to their predecessors, partly because of religious needs and partly because of the Muslim love for his environment. To sum up, in the following quotations from the Holy Quran Muslims are asked to contemplate four things: qu]Do they not look At the Camels, How they are made? And at the sky, How it is raised high? And at the mountains, How they are fixed firm? And at the Earth, How it is spread out? (Holy Quran: Sura LXXXVIII, verses 17\2–20). The contemplation of these things does not only make Muslims sense the absolute powers of their Creator, but also makes them constantly aware of their geographical surroundings.

Notes: Abstract Although there are several departments and subdepartments of geography in Saudi universities and other institutions, these departments have so far failed to produce professionals who are capable of filling the posts offered by the employers in both the public and private sectors. This paper suggests that since the demand for geography graduates with general training is rather low at presents, it is time for geography departments to turn to professionalism in the field so that geography graduates can compete favourably for the available posts. This calls for a new look into the geography curriculum, particularly at university level with a view of improving the skills and aptitude of geographers to assume a more positive role in the process of development. The paper also calls for the regional specialisation of geography departments in Saudi Arabia as a step forward towards solving the existing job problem for geography graduates, as well aas underlining the involvement and commitment of geographers to issues of development at the local, regional and national scales.

Notes: Abstract The study focuses on the analysis of manufacturing industry in Saudi Arabia by examining development, structure and spatial distribution. The analysis has shown that Saudi manufacturing is basically of recent development and is highly capital- and energy-intensive, particularly the hydrocarbon-based groups. Perhaps the most conspicuous weakness of Saudi industrialization is the almost total dependence on expatriate labour. Foreign capital and expertise share in the building and development of the industrial sector by providing technical, managerial, and marketing skills. Saudi industry is heavily subsidized by the government, and the public sector plays a commanding role in industrial development. Large-scale basic industries are owned and run by the government, while light manufacturing of the import-substitution type is dominated by the private sector. One of the main characteristics of manufacturing industry is that it is scantily diversified, modestly concentrated and remarkably linked geographically but not functionally or structurally. Although the authorities are exerting tremendous efforts to achieve a regional balance in industrial development, Saudi manufacturing industry is significantly polarized, urban-oriented and highly associated with the major axes of population scatter. Like all developing countries beginning to industrialize, Saudi manufacturing industry faces certain problems which have to be resolved so as to lay the foundations for a sound and prosperous industrial future. The paper goes on to indicate problems and to suggest solutions.

Notes: Abstract The status of medical facilities and personnel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the end of the fourth five-year plan (1985–1990) was reviewed and analyzed regarding the standards of services and workload of health personnel for the different regions and urban/rural areas in the Kingdom. Innovative indices for the quantitative analysis of medical facilities were developed. The analysis of health facilities in Saudi Arabia shows that the Kingdom enjoys a high standard of medical facilities. However, there are maldistribution of clinical resources and personnel between regions and between urban/rural areas. Utilization of these indices for the reallocation of medical facilities and personnel to ensure even distribution of services for all inhabitants of the Kingdom was illustrated. In addition, indices give a guideline for the future planning and the rate of increase of these facilities that keeps the standard of medical services in the proper class desired with minimum resources wastage.

Notes: Abstract The aim of this paper is to study the relationship between population distribution and medical facilities in the Arab Republic of Yemen. In order to do this hospital work-loads have been calculated for each province. The results show that the provision of health services, in the country as a whole, is rather critical, while the situation in certain provinces has reached a dangerous level. The paper concludes with a call for the Yemeni authorities to substantially improve the delivery of medical care on a nationwide scale.

Notes: Conclusion Although the study of workloads has shown superior medical services for the whole of Saudi Arabia, proliferation of more services is required in both the Northern and Southwestern regions where the standard of medical care falls short of the national average. Also more efforts have to be made to increase the number and improve on the performance of primary health care centres throughout the rural areas so as to reduce the contrast in the level of medical facilities between urban and rural areas. To be committed to such a high standard of medical care, it is not only important to build hospitals and health centres which are provided with the latest equipments, but it is also necessary to concentrate on the training of manpower. Medical colleges, nursing schools and technical institutes should take the responsibility to train more staff. In 1985 only 10% of the physicians working with the Ministry of Health were Saudis, and in case of the nursing and technical staff there is almost total dependence on expatriate labour. This is perhaps the most outstanding weakness in the Saudi medical service, but the situation is expected to improve during the coming decade as more medical and technical staff are expected to graduate from the various institutions. Finally, this study has shown that Saudi health services have grown substantially both in volume and quality during the past 20 years, thereby reflecting the seriousness of the authorities to deliver this vital service to all people. High quality medical services will lead to substantial reductions in the death rate, particularly that of infants, as a result of which the country will witness a rapid upsurge in population in the foreseeable future. A healthy and highly productive population is essential for a country experiencing an economic boom like Saudi Arabia.