Chapter 17: Physical Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia

Seas and Peninsulas The most northern sea in this region is the Strait of Gibraltar The Mediterranean Sea separates Africa and Europe Three major landlocked bodies of saltwater Dead Sea- Forms the Israli-Jodanian border Caspian Sea- largest inland body of water Aral Sea- Faces a major problem with irrigation The earliest civilizations are going to be here due to the Nile River There is going to be many different seas and peninsulas in this region Straight of Gibraltar has been rated as one of the most dangerous airports in the world because of the winds Potash is going to be found in this region Caspian Sea was one that we talked about with Russia how it was used but not with dry weather and use of irrigation the water levels are much lower The Aral Sea was diverted by the Soviet Union and used it for their own crops They are building small dams in parts ot eh former sea, local people plan to create freshawater basins

Nile River The worlds largest river Today more than 90% of Egyptians live in the Nile Delta Flows north Flooding used to be very important for the region The Aswan High Dam controls the river Rivers are most critical in these regions as civilizations would not have survived without them The Nile Delta and the fertile land around it is going to be where the majority of ancient civilizations are going to begin Only 3% of the land of Egypt is going to be used for people living there They relied on it After the floods it left behind alluvial soil which is made up of sand and mud deposited by moving water

Tigris and Euphrates “The Land between two rivers” Ancient Mesopotamians ruled this area Created the wheel, sailboats, and cuneiform A complex irrigation network allowed for a civilization of 7,000 years It got the nickname because of a Greek philosopher and it has kept the name ever since They created the wheel, sailboats, cuneiform and it is believed they invented the game checkers The Euphrates is the largest and starts in Turkey emptying into the Perisan Gulf

Streambeds Many of the streams flow intermittently Frequent rainstorms creates wadis Streambeds that remain dry until a heavy rain Wadis are often very dangerous

Coastal Plains and Highlands Most of the region has lush coastal plains The Atlas mountains are longest mountain range in Africa Western side gets a lot of precipitation Eastern side very dry which hurts the economy The Asir mountain produces the best farmland in Southwest Asia The Nile Delta is probably the biggest examples of a coastal plains These coastal plains are extremely important for the survival of the region Some of the areas are also going to have a very large export of oil because of this Much of the land is going to be deser

Earthquakes Eurasian plates come together Tectonic activity in the area formed the Zagros Mountains in Southern Iran Turkey has suffered the largest earthquake in this region The Eurasian plates come together in the lands of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia 7.4 on the richter scale which toppled more than 76,000 buildings and killed over 20,000 people

Natural Resources and Diverse Economies Petroleum and natural gas are the regions most abundant resource 70% of oil 33% of natural gas Turkmenistan is the leading producer of sulfate and sulfur Countries are trying to get more involved in tourism There was not too much oil being drilled before WWII ut after that and new technology this has changed They are the reasons are gas prices are so low Sulfate is used for paperboard, glass, and detegents Sulfur gunpowder, matches These are just some of the natural resources such as zinc, manganese, iron ore, and copper

Section 2: Climate and Vegetation

Water: A Precious Resource Some areas get large amount of rainfall Caspian Sea receives more than 78 inches In the majority of this region evaporation rates exceed rainfall rates The Sahara is the worlds largest non-polar desert Water is going to define the region

Desert Climate Covers most of North Africa A desert is defined as having less than 10 inches of precipitation Winters in the Northern Sahara and Central Asia have cold winters Nomadic herds of sheep, goats, and camels graze the deserts In prehistoric times a grassy plain extended across North Africa, and the climate was moderate Because this area has so much drought it is has continued to grow Hotttest temperature on earth was recorded here in 1922. it was 136 degrees Not much of the Sahara is going to be sand, the majority of it will be rock it just appears that way

Steppe Climate The Steppe is the second-largest climate of this region The more northern of the climates Generally less than 14 inches of precipitation Just enough grasses to practice pastoralism

Exports and Tourists The Mediterranean countries have a much better economy Major exports of citrus fruits, olives, and grapes Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities In Morocco, cities have 360 days of all daytime

Rainfall Coastal and highlands areas near mountains generally receive more rainfall The Atlas mountains in Africa receives over 30 inches of precipitation creating the best farmland in the area Most cereals come from that region With new technology there is more concern about acid rain Barlet, oats and wheat it is good because they do not have to irrigate it very much