Physical Geography of SW & Central Asia, and N. Africa Chapters 15-19 Lesson 1

Seas & Peninsulas Arabian Peninsula Separated from Africa by Gulf of Aden & Red Sea Sinai Pen. & Suez Canal separate the land to the north/west Persian Gulf is on the east side Gulf of Aden

Seas & Peninsulas Anatolia Pen. Black Sea to N Aegean Sea to W Mediterranean Sea to S Many straits connecting seas ($$) Bosporus Strait Aegean Sea ANATOLIA

Seas & Peninsulas Strait of Gibraltar Separates Africa from Iberian Pen. Only a 8-9 miles wide ‘gateway to Africa’ Britain owns city of Gibraltar

Strait of Gibraltar

Seas & Peninsulas Strait of Hormuz If sanctions put on Iran oil cut off strait (some deny threat) ~ 30% of world’s oil trade

Seas & Peninsulas Dead Sea On Jordan River (border w/ Israel) 8X saltier than any ocean- How come? In the 50s L= 262 m, W= 57 m Today L= 42 m, W= 11 m

Dead Sea: Lowest Point on Earth Highest Salt Content (33%) 2,300’ below sea level Highest Salt Content (33%) 9

The Jordan River Israel & Jordan (and others in area) fight over water rights 11

Caspian Sea Largest inland/landlocked body of water (lake) Less salty than oceans Remnants of ancient sea Facing evaporation increases, decrease in flow from feeder rivers, and increase in irrigation/industry uses

Seas & Peninsulas Aral Sea Use to be lg & have productive fishing Shrunk drastically due to USSR draining it for irrigation Ppl build sm. dams to create basins of freshwater from rivers

Rivers Nile River Longest in world Flows north to Med. Sea 90% of Egyptians live in delta or along river (= 3% of land) Faces great flood seasons  built Aswan High Dam for control Aswan High Dam

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Hydroelectric Power Plant Aswan High Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant 17

Completed by the British in 1869 Suez Canal Completed by the British in 1869 18

Rivers Tigris & Euphrates Mesopotamia or ‘land b/w two rivers’; aka Fertile Crescent Join to form Shatt al Arab Border of Iraq & Iran Wars & treaties over it

Rivers Wadi in Oman Wadis- dry streambeds that will fill with heavy rain  flash floods (seasonal) Since they are typically arid, creates mud quickly dangerous mud flows

Wadis 21

Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns. Since most is desert/steppe agricultural base = coastal areas of Med. Sea, Caspian Sea, & Persian Gulf Atlas Mtns Longest mtn range Stretches from Morocco to Algeria Northern side of Atlas allows for lots of agric. (farms, fishing, livestock) Rainy side, Med. climate

Atlas Mtns.

Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns. Hejaz & Asir Caucasus Mtns West coast of Arabian Pen. Rain shadow effect to Central Plateau Caucasus Mtns b/w Black & Caspian Sea Seen as border b/w European Russia & Asia

Mountain Ranges in Mid-East Elburz Mts., Iran Zagros Mts., Iran Lebanese Mts. Taurus Mts., Turkey 25

Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns. Garagum (Karakum)- Qizilqum (Kyzyl Kum)- Black sand desert, covers 70% of Turkmenistan Qizilqum (Kyzyl Kum)- Red sand desert in Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan Use wide spaces for livestock

Desert Bedouins 27

Swarms of Desert Locusts! 2004: Israel- Worst Locust Plague Since the 1950s! Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at Giza! 28

Fresh Groundwater Sources 29

Desalination Plants 31

Tectonic Activity Meeting point of the African, Arabian, & Eurasian plates Reason for mountainous terrain Many earthquakes Turkey 1999 Iran has 90% of land on faults Landforms still Δing Red Sea

Natural Resources Oil (petroleum) & nat. gas are region’s most abundant resources 70% of world’s oil 33% of world’s nat. gas Reserves are still being discovered! WWII sparked production as world moved to modern industry/reliance

The Natural Resources of the Middle East 35

Top Exports

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Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003) 38

Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East. 39

Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil Kuwait City 40

Natural Resources Why might such heavy dependence on oil be risky? Many countries are now diversifying UAE  banking, info. tech, tourism Libya  infrastructure, fisheries Completed Dubai Tower, 2010

Climate Images

Sahara Desert

Ergs Algeria Morocco

Regs Mauritania Algeria

Empty Quarter

Oases Siwah Oasis (Egypt) in Libyan Desert Oasis in Saudi In Algeria

Caucasus Mountains Georgia Azerbaijan