Determination of new national highpoints of five African and Asian countries—Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo

Abstract

Not all nations on earth have previously been surveyed accurately enough to know for certain which peak is the national highpoint, the highest peak in the country. Knowledge of these peaks is important for understanding the physical geography of these countries in terms of natural resource availability, watershed management, and tourism potential. For this study, ground surveys were conducted between 2018 and 2025 with modern professional surveying equipment, including differential GPS units and Abney levels, to accurately determine the national highpoints in five African and Asian countries where uncertainty existed. New national highpoints were determined for Saudi Arabia (Jabal Ferwa), Uzbekistan (Alpomish), Gambia (Sare Firasu Hill), Guinea-Bissau (Mt Ronde), and Togo (Mt Atilakoutse). Elevations were measured with sub-meter to meter vertical accuracy for candidate peaks in Saudi Arabia, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Togo. Relative elevations were measured between contender peaks in Uzbekistan with sufficient accuracy to determine the highpoint.