North Africa, Southwest Asia and Central Asia Unit 6 Chapter 17 Section 1

The Land 4 major Tectonic plates are responsible for shaping the areas around North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia. Anatolian Plate Eurasian Plate Arabian Plate African Plate Tectonic plate movement is responsible for building mountains, shifting land masses, and causing earthquakes in this region.

The Land Mountains- Atlas Mountains – Longest Mountain range in Africa Caucus Mountains – Situated between the Black sea and the Caspian Sea Kums - Deserts

Kums

Peninsulas and Seas 3 Important Peninsulas in this region of the world Arabian Peninsula Sinai Peninsula Anatolia Peninsula

Peninsulas and Seas 3 land locked bodies of salt water east of the Mediterranean Sea. Dead Sea- Smallest of the 3 Caspian Sea- largest inland body of water on Earth Aral Sea – Shrinking due to Soviet Era irrigation. Eventually split into 2 bodies of water, North Aral Sea and South Aral Sea

Rivers Nile River – Earth’s longest River at 4,160 miles. Nile Delta – Fertile land that surrounds the Nile River in Egypt. -90% of Egyptians live along the Nile Delta. Aswan High Damn- Built to Control Nile’s Flow. Created lake Nasser as a result Alluvial Soil- Rich Soil made up of sand and mud.

Early Civilizations Mesopotamia – Greek for the land between 2 rivers. - The Tigris and the Euphrates. Farming has occurred in this region for over 7,000 years. Wadis – Streambeds that remain dry until a heavy rain.

Alluvial Soil

Wadi - Oman

Oil and Natural Gas 60% of Earth’s Oil Reserve lie beneath this region. 50% of Earth’s Natural Gas also lies in this area. Economies in this region are very reliant upon Oil. Major fluctuations on the global fuel market severely influence many oil rich countries economies. Reasons for fluctuations include - Lower Demand, Conflicts (Iraq War), Political Instability.

Minerals Minerals also bring in large quantities of Money to the countries in this region. Roughly 10% of worlds Iron Ore Reserve within this region. Turkmenistan – Sulfate and Sulfur Morocco – Phosphate (used in fertilizers)