INTRO TO THE MIDDLE EAST WORLD GEOGRAPHY

HERE IS THE WORLD… …AND HERE IS NORTH AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA Due to the location, it’s called the Crossroads of Continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia

SOUTHWEST ASIA IS MORE COMMONLY CALLED THE “MIDDLE EAST” NORTH AFRICA SOUTHWEST ASIA MIDDLE EAST

SOME COUNTRIES IN NORTH AFRICA ARE ALGERIA LIBYA AND EGYPT (Sinai Peninsula)

SOME COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE: ISRAEL SAUDI ARABIA TURKEY IRAN KUWAIT QATAR AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE) IRAQ AFGHANISTAN

Many Areas around the Middle East and North Africa are world famous. Follow these cultural landmarks. Do you recognize any?

The Pyramids at Giza The ancient Egyptians used manual labor and wooden tools to build these magnificent tombs for pharoahs.

MOSQUES : places of worship for Muslims. Typical features are domes and minarets DOME MINARETS

The Dome of the Rock Jerusalem: This Muslim holy site was built on the remains of the Temple of Solomon, a holy site for Jews

The Kaaba Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is the most sacred site for Muslims. A Muslim must take the hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in his/her life.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher Jerusalem: This church was built on the site where Christians believe that Jesus Christ was crucified.

The Western Wall in Jerusalem: Also known as the Wailing Wall

Other notable cultural landmarks: A “Bazaar” is an open-air market, usually in the center of a Middle eastern town. This bazaar specializes in woven Arabian carpets- verrrrrrry popular!!!! Bazaars are also called “suqs”

Cultural Landscapes are old…. Like the many walled cities around the Arab World…

…and new Like the oil rigs around the Middle East