World Regional Geography Book Series

This textbook provides a comprehensive and very detailed insight into Chinese Contemporary Geography in English. It documents the geographical issues associated with China's rapid growth. Since initiating the reforms and open policy, China has achieved tremendous success. China's rapid growth is now a driving force in the global economy and is achieving unprecedented rates of poverty reduction. However, China also faces a number of sustainability and emerging challenges associated with rapid growth such as growing regional disparities in terms of per capita income and social-economic development, sustainable resource development, and issues related to regional and global economic integration. In addition, rapid economic growth has also brought about major challenges such as resource shortages, ecological and environmental destruction, land degradation and frequent disasters. This book presents the authors’ reflections.

This lavishly illustrated book covers physical geography, history, and economic and political systems of the world's most populous country. The major focus is on geographical issues in China's contemporary development: agriculture, population, urbanization, resource and energy, and environment. The lead author of the book has taught relevant courses in China for three decades, and authored and edited multiple textbooks for Chinese students. This book will appeal to undergraduate students of geography and related disciplines with a regional focus on China and to the general reader who wants to learn different geographical aspects of modern China with little academic background in geography.

This book addresses the highly differentiated spatial, social, cultural and demographic structure(s) of Germany, with a particular focus on the reciprocal relations between different levels of spatial development.

The historical development of Germany serves as a background in order to provide context for the development of spatially relevant ideas and ideals (whether in relation to politics, landscape, or culture). In this regard, questions of divergence and convergence become highly salient.

The book makes the complexity of spatial and social developments in Germany comprehensible. The neopragmatic approach adopted here allows bringing together different theoretical strands while providing a basis for independent regional geographic research at the same time. Beginning with an overview of the physical structures of Germany which provides the material point of departure for the societal development of Germany, key aspects of the German history are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the reciprocal influence between material substrate and notions of landscape. Here, specific ‘German’ trajectories of aesthetic and normative conceptions of landscape become clear.

A common theme throughout the book are questions of divergence and of efforts towards convergence, which become evident when considering past and present economic, political, and demographic developments. Efforts to tackle current challenges, such as adapting to climate change and mitigating it, or securing raw materials, also become apparent. The complexity of spatial processes in Germany is illustrated in case study regions dealing with the challenges of structural change in traditional industrial regions (such as the Ruhr area), or e.g. efforts of Berlin to position and find itself as the capital of a unified Germany.

Overall, the book shows how theory-driven regional geographic research can make spatiotemporal complexities tangible and comprehensible.

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region stands as a remarkable crossroads of tradition and modernity, shaped by millennia of history under empires, colonial powers, and global influences. This book unpacks the intricate dynamics of the region, examining how historical resource exploitation, border manipulation, and cultural impositions have profoundly impacted its languages, traditions, and geopolitical identity. The rich tapestry of Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish, and regional dialects reflects a deep cultural resilience that has resisted globalization, often fueled anti-Western sentiments and prioritized the preservation of heritage over rapid economic development.

Central to the region’s geopolitical importance is its vast oil wealth, which has positioned MENA as a cornerstone of the global energy market and a continuous focus of Western interest. This book explores how oil exploitation has economically empowered the region while simultaneously fostering political tension, external interventions, and instability. As the global shift toward green technologies accelerates, the book examines how this transition might redefine MENA’s role in the global energy market, offering both challenges and opportunities for transformation. These dynamics unfold against the backdrop of water scarcity and a scorching, inhospitable climate that further complicates the region’s path forward.

Grounded in real-life case studies and an interdisciplinary blend of historical, cultural, and economic analysis, this book offers an unparalleled exploration of the MENA region’s past, present, and future in the context of advanced technological development. Co-authored by a Palestinian native, it brings a unique perspective by dissecting ongoing identity crises through unbiased insights and true-life conversations with individuals who have embraced diverse religious and political ideologies. By intertwining these narratives with the region’s deeply rooted cultural practices, the book presents a compelling human lens to understand MENA's complexities.

This rare and thought-provoking study seamlessly balances traditional and modern perspectives, emphasizing the MENA region’s pivotal role at the intersection of Western powers and the Global South. For readers seeking to grasp the intricate dynamics of a region that continues to influence and adapt to an ever-changing global order, this book serves as an indispensable resource.