Agenda Monday Aug 8 What am I learning today? How does the physical geography of North Africa and southwest asia unify the area as a region? What am I doing today? Partner Work; power point with notes, water crisis DBQ How will I show that I learned it? complete DBQ

Warm up Aug 8 Describe the physical geography. How have people interacted with the environment? (Adapt, Modify, Depend). What challenges might people living in this area face?

Middle East & North Africa Why are these areas treated as one region?

The Middle East: North Africa and Southwest Asia What do you think makes it a region? What are the characteristics that tie North Africa and Southwest Asia together? Work with a partner to create a list of similar characteristics that North Africa and southwest asia share. Include geography and culture in your list. Use pages 487-497; 416-421; and 438 – 441.

Introduction The Middle East is on the Continent of Asia and north Africa. The reason these two areas are studied together is that they share many characteristics.

Dry Area? Fact or Fiction? Many deserts: Libyan, Nubian, Sahara, and Arabian which cover most of the region Most places get less than 10 inches rain per year Why? - Interior location - Low latitudes where moisture carried away - Mountains Biggest Challenges? - lack of arable land - lack of water - salt buildup in soil from irrigation

The Rub al-Khali Also called the empty quarter Covers 1/5 of Arabian peninsula (225,000 square miles) Spills across 4 nations – Saudi Arabia oman, yemen, and united Arab Emirates Least hospitable place on earth

Because it is a dry area… Most people live on plains along rivers and irrigation canals Water is a strategic commodity: a resource so important that a country is willing to go to war to ensure a steady supply Wadis: Riverbeds that remain dry except during the rainy season Oasis: an area of vegetation in the desert fed by an underground water source

The Mighty Nile River: “Longest River in the World”

Egypt: The “Gift of the Nile” Major influence on the development of Egyptian civilization Nile Delta Annual Nile Flooding 95% of the Egyptian people live on 5% of the land!

Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea Suez Canal Cuts off thousands of miles for ships since they do not need to sail around Africa to reach India and other eastern countries Completed by the British in 1869 Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea

Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers” The Tigris & Euphrates River System Mesopotamia: ”Land Between the Two Rivers” Marsh Arabs, So. Iraq

Dead Sea 2,300’ below sea level – lowest point on earth Highest Salt Content (33%) Little to no life Believed to have healing properties

The Jordan River System: Israel & Jordan--A Fight Over Water Rights?

Activity Independent Assignment Read each document. Remember to define unknown vocabulary words Answer the questions for Each document. This is a graded assignment

The Middle East Today: Political Map 19 4--> 17 18 11--> 6 7 1 13 8--> 9 <--10 2 12 5 3--> 16 15--> 20 14 21

Geographic Records Nile River: World’s longest river Arabian Peninsula: world’s largest peninsula Sahara: world’s largest desert Dead sea: world’s saltiest lake - lowest place on earth - mud believed to have medicinal properties - fed by the Jordan river

Other Physical features Rub al Khali: the empty quarter - locally known as the place where no one comes out - one of driest places on earth Mesopotamia: land between two rivers – Euphrates and tigris Rivers Persian Gulf choke point: control the Gulf = control of Resources