Middle East? OR Near East? OR Southwest Asia? OR….?

Deserts Sahara Desert Arabian Desert Negev Desert Sinai Desert Libyan Desert Rub al-Khali

Deserts Arabian Desert is 900,000 sq. miles covers most of the Arabian Peninsula. Other deserts: Sinai, Syrian, & Negev Deserts As well as the Rub al-Khali (The Empty Quarter)

Arabian Desert

Desert Bedouins

Rub al-Khali: “The Empty Quarter”

Bodies of Water

Important world waterway the Suez Canal is located in Egypt, shortens travel & trade routes. Wadis & Oasis- fresh water sources found in deserts

Suez Canal Completed by the British in 1869

Fresh Groundwater Sources

Wadis – springs found in valleys after seasonal rains.

Desert Oases: found near springs from underground sources

Rivers Jordan, Tigris & Euphrates Rivers create fertile soil in surrounding areas and were the sites of some of the earliest civilizations. Alluvial Soils- deposits by rivers during their annual flooding. Rich in nutrients for planting crops.

The Tigris & Euphrates River System Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers” Marsh Arabs, So. Iraq

Dust Storms Along the Tigris-Euphrates Flood Plains

The Jordan River System: Israel & Jordan--A Fight Over Water Rights?

Fertile Crescent

The Fertile Crescent

Seas & Gulfs Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Red Sea, Dead Sea, & Persian Gulf – –Dead sea is 2,300 feet below sea level, and is 33% salt water making it the saltiest body of water on earth. Not enough fresh water available so Middle Eastern countries use Desalinization technology to produce fresh water. – –Desalinization: the removal of salt and minerals from salt-water.

Dead Sea: Lowest Point on Earth Highest Salt Content (33%) 2,300’ below sea level

Desalinization Plants

Middle East: Population Density

Mountains & Plateaus  Atlas Mts.  Elburz Mts. Taurus Mts.  Zagros Mts. Iranian Plateau Anatolian Plateau Caucasus Mts. Hejaz Mts.

Mountain Ranges in Mid-East Elburz Mts., Iran Zagros Mts., Iran Lebanese Mts. Taurus Mts., Turkey

Climate Climate zones include: – –Semi-Arid (semi-desert), Arid (desert), & Mediterranean. – –Located along the equator. Warm winters & Hot dry summers

Middle East: Climate Regions

The Middle East: Natural Vegetation

Resources OIL! The Middle East contains 1/2 of the world’s known oil reserves.

The Natural Resources of the Middle East

World Oil Reserves

Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003)

Saudi Oil Fields & Refineries

Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil Kuwait City

Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East.