About Mohamed Riad
Mohamed Riad, 97, Egyptian scholar and geographer.
Explore other notable deaths in 2025 or deaths in August 2025.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Mohamed Riad?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Riad Ahmed Riad Mohamed Riad (Arabic: رياض احمد رياض محمد رياض; 18 September 1927 – 17 August 2025) was an Egyptian scholar and geographer. Among his books is “Journey in the time of Nubia", His original family name is Qassem Urfally.
In 1949 he obtained his B.A in Geography from Fouad I University and in 1951 he earned a Diploma of Sudanese Studies (Geography & Anthropology) from Fouad I University. In 1956 he obtained his Ph.D. degree From Voelker Kunde Institute, Vienna University. He was soon appointed a staff member at Faculty of Arts Ain Shams University, He taught at Beirut Arab University and Qatar University with the posts of lecturer, assistant professor, and professor in the Department of Geography. His wife Kawthar Abdel Rassoul participated in much of his research and books, especially in regards to field research in the Nubia area. Riad was awarded Egypt's State Appreciation Award of 2017.
Riad died on 17 August 2025, at the age of 97.
Works
Riad has over 250 items of published research in basic geography and anthropology, including 17 books in Arabic, 31 papers in Arabic, 21 papers in English (in Egyptian and foreign academic bulletins and periodicals), and approximately 180 articles in Al-Ahram and Al-Masry Al-Youm (pages of opinion on Egyptian socio-economic & political questions), Al-Hilal monthly, and Al-Siyasa Al-Dawlia quarterly.
Viewpoints and thoughts
- African economy, resources, development and politics.
- Middle East politics and geopolitics.
- Arab Gulf studies in urban, socio-cultural and political developments.
- Egyptian field: Bedouin and Nubian acculturation and political processes, and Egyptian agrarian problems, the overwhelming dominance of the capital city of Cairo in the web of Egyptian affairs, industry and tourism.
Riad produced criticism of major agriculture projects considering the threat of scarcity of water due to climate change, advocating for strong local governments and the creation of an industrial hub within the Suez Canal region.
Books
In Arabic
- Economic geography and biogeographic production.
- Africa: A study of the continent's components.
- Cairo: the fabric of people in place and time and problems in the present and future.
- Journey in the time of Nubia: a study of the old Nuba and indicators of future development.
- The old Nubia in photos: The environment of the Nubian society and the life before displacement.
- Introduction of the book of Garf Hussein between the past and the present.
- Human: a study of race and civilization.
- General assets in geopolitics and geopolitics: with an applied study on the Middle East.
- Transport geography.
- Egypt: the texture of people, place and time.
- Polar and Nordic World: A Geographical Study.
- Translation of the book «Racial Myths» by Juan Comas.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Mohamed Riad on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Riad
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Mohamed Riad's archived record and the sources above.
1.At what age did Mohamed Riad pass away in 2025?
- A.95
- B.99
- C.92
- D.97correct
Mohamed Riad died on 17 August 2025, at the age of 97.
Source: biographical introduction
2.Which academic degree did Mohamed Riad earn in 1951?
- A.B.A. in Anthropology
- B.Masters in Urban Development
- C.Diploma of Sudanese Studiescorrect
- D.Ph.D. in Geography
In 1951, Mohamed Riad earned a Diploma of Sudanese Studies focusing on Geography and Anthropology.
Source: education section
3.Mohamed Riad wrote approximately 180 articles for which publications?
- A.Geography World Today
- B.Al-Ahram and Al-Masry Al-Youmcorrect
- C.Nubian Times
- D.Vienna Academic Journal
Mohamed Riad contributed about 180 articles to Al-Ahram and Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Source: works section
4.What is the full birth name of the scholar Mohamed Riad?
- A.Mohamed Riad Ahmed Riad
- B.Mohamed Riad Qassem Urfally
- C.Ahmed Riad Mohamed Qassem
- D.Riad Ahmed Riad Mohamed Riadcorrect
The biography explicitly lists his full name as Riad Ahmed Riad Mohamed Riad.
Source: biographical introduction
5.On what date was Mohamed Riad born?
- A.17 August 1925
- B.18 September 1927correct
- C.17 September 1925
- D.18 August 1927
Mohamed Riad was born on 18 September 1927.
Source: biographical introduction
6.In 1949, from which university did Mohamed Riad obtain his B.A. in Geography?
- A.Ain Shams University
- B.Fouad I Universitycorrect
- C.Vienna University
- D.Beirut Arab University
Mohamed Riad earned his B.A. in Geography from Fouad I University in 1949.
Source: education section
7.What was the name of Mohamed Riad's wife who assisted in his research?
- A.Amira Qassem
- B.Laila Al-Masry
- C.Kawthar Abdel Rassoulcorrect
- D.Fatima Riad
Kawthar Abdel Rassoul was the wife of Mohamed Riad and participated in much of his research.
Source: career section
8.Which prestigious Egyptian award did Mohamed Riad receive in 2017?
- A.Nubian Heritage Prize
- B.National Geographic Medal
- C.State Appreciation Awardcorrect
- D.Science and Arts Distinction
Mohamed Riad was awarded Egypt's State Appreciation Award in 2017.
Source: career section
9.At which institution did Mohamed Riad earn his Ph.D. in 1956?
- A.Fouad I University
- B.Beirut Arab University
- C.Ain Shams University
- D.Voelker Kunde Institute, Vienna Universitycorrect
Mohamed Riad obtained his Ph.D. degree from the Voelker Kunde Institute at Vienna University in 1956.
Source: education section
10.Approximately how many total research items did Mohamed Riad produce throughout his career?
- A.Over 100
- B.Over 500
- C.Over 250correct
- D.Exactly 200
The biography states that Mohamed Riad has over 250 items of published research.
Source: works section
11.What is the original family name of Mohamed Riad?
- A.Abdel Rassoul
- B.Qassem Urfallycorrect
- C.Al-Ahram
- D.Nubia
The biography states that Mohamed Riad's original family name is Qassem Urfally.
Source: biographical introduction
12.Where did Mohamed Riad conduct field research alongside his wife?
- A.The Nubia areacorrect
- B.The Vienna countryside
- C.The Suez Canal region
- D.The Qatar desert
Mohamed Riad and his wife Kawthar Abdel Rassoul conducted extensive field research in the Nubia area.
Source: career section
13.How many papers in English did Mohamed Riad publish?
- A.180
- B.21correct
- C.31
- D.17
Mohamed Riad published 21 papers in English in academic bulletins and periodicals.
Source: works section
14.What specific geographic issue did Mohamed Riad advocate for regarding the Suez Canal region?
- A.The creation of an industrial hubcorrect
- B.The expansion of tourism resorts
- C.The desalination of sea water
- D.The construction of a new port
Mohamed Riad advocated for the creation of an industrial hub within the Suez Canal region.
Source: viewpoints and thoughts section
15.Mohamed Riad wrote a book about the displacement of which community?
- A.The Cairo urbanites
- B.The Nubian societycorrect
- C.The Bedouin
- D.The Suez Canal workers
His book 'The old Nubia in photos' discusses the environment and life before the displacement of the Nubian society.
Source: books section
16.Which of these books was translated by Mohamed Riad?
- A.Racial Mythscorrect
- B.Cairo: the fabric of people
- C.Transport Geography
- D.Journey in the time of Nubia
Mohamed Riad provided a translation of the book 'Racial Myths' by Juan Comas.
Source: books section
People who died on August 17
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Mohamed Riad →Advertisement
