North Africa and Southwest Asia (Middle East)

Leading countries according to GDP Kuwait United Arab Emirates Qatar Israel

Leading countries according to Land size Algeria Saudi Arabia Libya

Leading countries according to population Iran Turkey Egypt

Physical Characteristics Area is the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia It has a primarily desert or semi-arid climate Sahara, Sahel, and steppes are the primary vegetation region

Sahara--world’s largest desert, it stretches over most of North Africa and is growing Sahel--area separating the Sahara from the tropical rainforest of Africa.

The Sahel is an area of temperate grassland (steppe) moving into sparse desert scrub-like vegetation

Three main mountain ranges 1. Atlas Mountains in northern Algeria and Morocco 2. Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey 3. Zagros Mountains in western Iran

Even though this is a dry area, water plays a very large role There are several large bodies of water which play a major role in world politics

Examples : Persian Gulf/Arabian Gulf Strait of Hormuz Arabian Sea Red Sea

Persian/Arabian

Other important bodies of water Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Bosporus Strait, Dardanelles Strait, Nile River (longest in the world), Tigris and Euphrates (home to the world’s first civilization) and the Jordan River

The area is also subject to seasonal flooding, alluvial soils, delta regions, oases, and wadis

Nile Delta

Wadis

Wadis during seasonal flood

Seasonal flooding--several of the rivers flood regularly (Nile) which deposit rich alluvial soil for farming

The desert regions are home to many oases (a place where fresh water makes it possible for life to exist in a dry area) and wadi (a gully or usually dry river bed cut by running water after a downpour)

Economic Characteristics The area has a heavy reliance on primary economic activities such as oil drilling, agriculture and herding/grazing

The area is the home of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Many countries in the area still belong today Major producers of the world’s oil Provide large oil revenues

Positive effects--jobs, revenue, position of power Negative effects--reliance on one industry, pollution, unequal distribution of wealth

Oil Saudi Arabia has the greatest supply of oil reserves. The major means of transporting oil within the region is by pipeline.

Water is the region’s MOST PRECIOUS resource Aswan High Dam has had positive and negative effects on the region. Suez Canal enhanced shipping routes in the region

Aswan High Dam

Positive effects of the Aswan High dam Controls flooding, recreation areas, power Negative effects of the Aswan high Dam land losing fertility, lost homes when dam built,

There is a great variation in the standard of living in the region. It ranges from the relatively high to the poverty stricken. There is also a wide range of per capita income and differing levels of development

Trade has been important to the region from the earliest time. Today regional conflicts and political unrest have affected trade and tourism The area today has contemporary trade routes (sea lanes)

Cultural Characteristics The area has experienced rapid urbanization Most modernization has centered around urban areas and more traditional life has continued in the rural areas

UAE

Large percentage of the population is under the age of 15 due to conflict, disease and the hardships associated with the region. The population is generally unevenly distributed due to the environment and resources

All but three of the countries are Arab nations and they use the Arabic language. Turkey, Iran and Israel are the non-Arab countries

North Africa and Southwest Asia are the birthplace to three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. All three claim similar holy places and the dominant group has changed over the years.

Since 1949, the region has been in conflict over the area known as PALESTINE. This area is present day Israel. The ongoing issue in the Arab-Israeli conflict in Israel is the status of Palestine, who want a separate homeland

Refugees Palestinians who have fled Israel to live in neighboring countries are called REFUGEES.

Much of the region has a nomadic lifestyle NOMADIC-to wander from place to place behind a food source or for other reasons. A major occupation of people in Steppe region is raising livestock.

Most of the population of the Middle East is located near water. Many people are moving to the cities of the Middle East.

Kurds The nation of people who live in the mountains of Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran are the Kurds. (Kurdistan)

Camels Often called “Ships of the desert”

The art of the region reflects the diversity of the religions; stained glass, geometric tiles, calligraphy, mosaics, and prayer rugs

Egyptian Cotton Egypt exports fine cotton called Egyptian Cotton.

Cities as centers of trade and culture Baghdad, Iraq Cairo, Egypt Istanbul, Turkey Jerusalem, Israel Mecca, Saudi Arabia Tehran, Iran

Church of the Holy Sepulcher Hagia Sophia bazaars, sugs Cultural Landscape Mosques, minarets Church of the Holy Sepulcher Hagia Sophia bazaars, sugs Western Wall (of Jerusalem)

Dome of the Rock Kaaba Pyramids Oil rigs walled cities

The End of the Notes

Sahara desert

Oasis

Stained Glass/Mosaics

Arabesque

Prayer Rugs

Oil Rigs

Kaaba

Dome of the Rock

Hagia Sophia

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Pyramids

Western Wall

Western Wall