Cultural Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia Chapter 18 Cultural Geography of North Africa, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia

1. North Africa Birthplace of earliest civilizations Rich cultural heritage Traditions and cultures have changed with modernization and urbanization

Population Patterns Indigenous ethnic groups, migrations, and the dramatic climate have shaped population patterns in North Africa Indigenous cultures in North Africa have mixed with those from Arabian Peninsula and Europe

The People Primary influence on the sub region is a mix of indigenous and Arab cultures Indigenous people of North Africa called Berbers Most are farmers today Previously they were pastoral nomads, groups of people who move from place to place grazing their animals Berbers are most populous in the Atlas Mountains and in the Sahara

The People Other principal ethnic group in North Africa - Arabs Egyptian civilization, 6000 years ago Spread throughout North Africa in the 600’s Bedouin - nomadic, Arabic-speaking people, migrated from deserts of Southwest Asia, herd animals in deserts

The People North African peoples have had continuous contact with Europe for hundreds of years French, Spanish Muslims and Romans have all influenced the culture in this sub region

Density and Distribution Geographic factors, such as availability of water, influenced settlement in North Africa People settled along seacoasts and in river deltas, or mouths, such as along Nile River in Egypt Nile Delta region one of world's most densely populated areas Major population centers in North Africa are urban Examples: Casablanca, Morocco Algiers, Algeria Tunis, Tunisia Tripoli, Libya Cairo, Egypt Cities in the region have grown rapidly some have not had the infrastructure, basic urban necessities such as streets and utilities, to support this growth

Early Peoples and Civilizations Hunters and gatherers settled in North Africa about 10,000 years ago By 6000 BC, farming communities rise up along Nile River and Mediterranean Sea Region’s farmers among the first to domesticate plants and animals Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile River about 6000 years ago Egyptians: Created a calendar year with 365 days Used sophisticated irrigation systems Built pyramids as tombs to for their rules Invented form of picture writing called hieroglyphics

Invasions of North Africa Seventh century invasions of Arabs from Arabian Peninsula Arabs have heavily influenced cultures of North Africa since Arabs brought Islamic religion and culture to Morocco Spanish Muslim and Jewish exiles fleeing Christian persecution settled in Morocco in 1400s Ottoman Empire conquered Algeria in 1500s France conquered Algeria in mid 1800s Geometric boundaries, or straight line boundaries which do not account for natural and cultural features, exist between Libya, Egypt and Algeria These boundaries were drawn by European colonial powers, often caused conflict

Independence During 1800’s, well-educated urban middle class adopts nationalism, or a belief in the right of an ethnic group to have its own independent country Egypt gained independence from UK in 1922 Suez Canal, important shipping lane that connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea across Egypt, has made Egypt a key power Algeria gained independence from France in mid 1900s Libya won independence from Italy in 1951 Then ruled by strong, Western-friendly monarchy In 1969, coup led by Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi overthrew the monarchy Qaddafi has ruled the oil rich country to this day

Religion and Language Arabs brought religion of Islam to North Africa when they invaded Most were Sunni, which makes up 85% of 1.5 billion Muslims world wide Sunnis believe that leadership should be in the hands of the Islamic community at large Most Berbers have adopted Islam Calls to worship occur five times each day in countries with large Muslim populations Muezzin, or crier, calls the faithful to prayer from a tower of each local mosque Following the movements of the imam, or prayer leader, they bow and kneel, touching foreheads to the ground in the direction of the holy city of Makkah (Mecca) in Saudi Arabia Arabic language also spread across North Africa Non-Arab Muslims learned Arabic in order to read the Quran, the Islamic holy book Arabic became the regions main language

Education and Health Care Most young people in North Africa attend school Primary education is free Literacy rates range widely, from 52 percent in Morocco to 82 percent in Libya Health care has also improved recently People often go to government-owned hospitals for medical treatment, but doctor shortages mean limited care for rural people

The Arts Egyptians built towering pyramids to serve as royal tombs for their leaders Arts of weaving, embroidery and metalworking in the region are highly influenced by Islam

2. The Eastern Mediterranean Eastern Mediterranean birthplace of three major world religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam Different peoples have laid claim to the lands for religious reasons Periods of conflict and war have resulted In Israel today, Jewish and Palestinian people both claim rights to the same lands

Population Patterns Migrations, claims to ancestral homes, boundary disputes have influenced pop. patterns in the eastern Mediterranean Inhabited by millions of Arab and Jewish people Jewish people speak Hebrew, and if they are religious, practice Judaism Arabs speak Arabic, and primarily practice Islam

The People 7.1 million people living in E. Mediterranean are Israelis living in Israel 80% are Jewish Jews trace heritage to Israelites Israelites in ancient times settled in Canaan, land shared today by Israel and Lebanon Israelites believed that God had given them this area as a homeland Over time, many Jews moved to other countries

The People In 1948, Israel founded as a Jewish state Arabs in the region did not want Jewish state Tensions between Arabs and Jews have led to many wars Palestinians – Arabs displaced from their homes during wars with Israel, forced to live as refugees in neighboring countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Jordan

Density and Distribution Dry climate causes majority in Eastern Mediterranean to live along Euphrates River Some of the highest population densities in Southwest Asia Lebanon - population density of 941 people per square mile Region is primarily urban More than 75% of people in Israel, Jordan and Lebanon live in cities Over 50% in Syria and Palestine live in cities Israel has experienced intense immigration since founding in 1948 1 million Jews have migrated from former Soviet Union since 1989 People of Israel have migrated from more than 100 countries, making it ethnically diverse

History and Government Eastern Mediterranean home to three of the world's major religions Has shaped politics and culture here for centuries Due to proximity to Europe, Africa and Asia, Eastern Mediterranean has been occupied throughout history

Early Civilizations Region has been occupied by important cultures and empires Ebla, Syria was an important commercial trade center by 3000 BC populated by hundreds of thousands of people by around 2400 BC Damascus, Syria, one of the oldest cities in the world, continuously settled

Religion as History Three major religions began here: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam All share many beliefs, particularly monotheism, or belief in one god Jerusalem is of special importance to all three religions

Judaism One of the oldest of the monotheistic faiths Trace origin to the ancient Israelites, who created kingdom of Israel along the eastern Mediterranean coast Jerusalem was their capital and religious center Jews recorded their history in the Hebrew Bible, consisting of the Torah, the prophets and the sacred writings

Christianity In 30 AD, Jewish teacher named Jesus began preaching and gathering followers Followers believed they would go to heaven after death Became basis for Christianity Christian Scriptures included the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), the New Testament (writings and teachings of Jesus and early Christian communities)

Islam States that AD 610, revelations from God came to Muhammad Muhammad a merchant in the city of Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia) Followers claimed he was last in line of prophets, or messengers, that included Abraham and Jesus By AD 700, Islam spread through the region and into Europe Muslims built mosques, or houses of worship

Independence and Conflict Over time, Islamic empires in region rose and fell Physical geography limited sub regions economic development Lacked resources such as minerals, wood and coal to fuel industrial revolution like Europe By late 1800s, European powers controlled large areas in the eastern Mediterranean

Arab-Israeli Conflict Jews expelled from their homeland by the Romans Jews settled in communities all over the world, often experiencing persecution Many Jews, called Zionists, began to call for a return to Palestine After WWII, wars broke out among Jews, Arabs and British forces in the region UN decided in 1947 to divide Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state When British withdrew form the area, the Jews proclaimed the Independent state of Israel in 1948 Arabs and Israelis fought 6 wars in next 25years In 1948 and 1967 conflicts, victorious Israeli forces occupied Arab lands

Religion and Language Majority who practice Islam follow Sunni branch Arabs in Syria and Lebanon follow the Shia branch Jews and Christians make up only a small percentage of the population Most Jews live in Israel Christians live in Lebanon and Syria During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, Muslims fast during daylight hours Many Muslims dress modestly Some Muslim women wear a veil over their face and completely cover their hands and feet Primary language is Arabic

Education and Health Care Compulsory and free Literacy rates vary from 76 percent in Syria to 96 percent in Israel Hospitals are often government owned