Central & Southwest Asia “The Middle East”

Seas & Peninsulas N. Africa, SW & Central Asia form an intricate puzzle of seas and peninsulas. Three landlocked bodies of salt water lie east of the Mediterranean Sea Dead Sea (the smallest, and actually a lake!) sits at the mouth of the Jordan River The Caspian Sea (largest inland body of water on EARTH!) is in Central Asia. Aral Sea, in the heart of Central Asia, is the world’s 4th largest inland sea.

Dead Sea Caspian Sea Aral Sea – Considered a dying sea due to divergence of water.

Rivers The rivers create lush and productive valleys. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow mainly through Iraq, and are very important to the region. Cradles of Civilization Ancient civilizations flourished around these river valleys. EXAMPLE: Mesopotamia, known as “land between two rivers,” was an ancient civilization between the two rivers noted above. Even today these two rivers help irrigate farms throughout Syria, Turkey, and Iraq.

Plains, Plateaus, & Mountains Very varied and dramatic landforms Many mountain ranges due to plate tectonic movement in the region. Some of the major mountain ranges… Hejaz & Asir Mountains: stretches along the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most agriculturally productive regions. Pontic & Taurus Mountains: Located in Turkey Caucasus Mountains: Between the Black & Caspian Sea

Climate Rainfall in the region varies widely. Most of the region contains dry, arid regions. Four main climate regions: Desert, Steppe, Mediterranean, and highlands Natural vegetation in the region varies, as well, because it depends on the rainfall & irrigation patterns

Resources Water is a precious resource within this dry and varied region. This region contains many different types of natural resources… Oil & Natural Gas: Most abundant resources that are important to economies of countries around the world. 66% of the world’s known oil reserves are located in this region. Minerals: Sulfate, Sulfur, Phosphate (chemical used in fertilizers), Gold, Lead, and Iron Ore are the top grossing mineral resources in the region. Countries in the M.East are using these resources to invest in their infrastructure and advance their sectors of economies.

Water Oil

Desalination This is a process to remove salt from sea water. 60 % of the world’s freshwater producing capacity comes from this region. This a very expensive process, yet countries close to the Persian Gulf rely upon it.

Desalination plant

EARTHQUAKES! As the plates have moved through time, they have formed the mountains and landscapes that we see today. Earthquakes are quite a regular occurrence in this region of the world. In 1999, Turkey had a 7.4 earthquake. Turkey lies on the boundary of two plates—Arabian & Eurasian plates. It destroyed 76,000 buildings and killed almost 20,000 people.