North Africa and Southwest Asia World Geography
Countries of North Africa Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya Egypt
Influences on North Africa Nile Valley- Ancient Egyptian civilization was a cultural hearth for region The Nile River was a source of life in the desert with water and rich soil on the banks Islam- most important religious and cultural influence on North Africa Petroleum-major source of income
Culture Souk- marketplaces (center of daily economic/social activity) Protest music-closely associated with Algeria Women’s roles—the role of women in the Islamic world is ever changing some places are seeing more freedom for women but they are still subject to traditional Islamic teachings
Landforms and bodies of water SW Asia Peninsulas and waterways Arabian, Anatolian, Sinai Suez Canal Plains and highlands Anatolian Plateau, Arabian peninsula is a plain-plateau Afghanistan –northwestern plain Mountains Afghanistan-Hindu Kush Turkey-Taurus Mountains Iran- Zagros, Elburz Bodies of Water Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean Tigris-Euphrates, Jordan Rivers
TOTD What makes water the most important natural resource in SW Asia and North Africa? How is water used? For agriculture? For consumption? For power? What natural resource is the primary export/ source of income in this region?
landforms Sandy deserts Arabian Peninsula- Empty Quarter Syrian Desert and Negev Salt deserts Iran Semiarid lands Edge of desert-little rainfall Coast lands Adequate rainfall-supports year round agriculture Oasis Underground spring Salt flat Flat dry area in rain shadow of mountains, caused by evaporation of moisture leaving behind chemical salts
Salt flats Lut and Kavir Salt Flats, IRAN 25th largest desert in the world
Empty Quarter- Rub’ al Khali Translates to “quarter of emptiness” ~225,000 sq. miles, nearly the size of Texas Takes up 1/5 of Arabian Peninsula and touches 4 countries Most oil-rich site in the world Sahara desert is 15x the size but only has double the sand.
Oasis Made from underground water source Very high salinity Highly contested by people and animals
Finding and storing water in SW Asia Dams Turkey-creating a series of dams on Euphrates River- reservoirs for power, irrigation—problem for people downstream Irrigation systems National Water Carrier-Israel- moves water from the north to the central and southern parts Drip irrigation Small pipes-no spray-water is target to a certain spot must conserve when farming in a desert Desalinization Removes salt from ocean water—costly and cannot meet all demands especially away from coast Fossil water Water pumped from underground aquifer—problem is that the water is not replenished by rainfall
Turkey’s Dams GAP Project
oil Forms- remains of plants and animals, (Time and Pressure) Discovered in Persia 1908, Arabian Peninsula 1938, Saudi Arabia 1948 Crude oil is removed from ground via oil well and transported by pipeline to refinery Refined oil may be transported via pipeline but also by oil tankers for the international market Risks of environmental catastrophes from spills
Israel and Jordan The Dead Sea—landlocked-high salinity and is lowest place on the earth’s surface Golan Heights highlands in the northern part of Israel-borders Syria Jordan River –major source of fresh water for the region
DEAD SEA
GOLAN HEIGHTS
JORDAN RIVER
Historical Factors-Arabian Peninsula Bedouins-nomadic desert dwellers noted for fighting skills, toughness, strong family ties Islam- monotheistic religion, Mohammed, Quran, Mecca Five Pillars of Islam- faith, prayer, charity, fasting and pilgrimage Theocratic government? Strong Islamic influence on government and culture, Sharia law Colonial Powers- Ottoman Empire from the 1400’s until WWI then the French and British exerted control until after WWII Oil and OPEC- principal economic resource, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries– influence flow of a large % of world’s crude
ISLAM
JERUSALEM
Eastern Mediterranean Religious Places (Jerusalem) Jewish- Western Wall, site of First and Second Temple Christian- Mount of Olives, Church of Holy Sepulchre Islamic- Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa Mosque History of Unrest d. Colonial occupation- Fr- Syria/Lebanon GB- Palestine e. Zionism- Jewish movement to create a homeland f. Creation of Israel- UN Plan was for two states in 1948; rejected by the Arabs-still do not acknowledge Israel’s right to exist g. PLO- formed in the 1960’s to regain land for the Palestinians h. Refugees and civil wars- Lebanon, Syria Modernizing Economies i. Modern infrastructure- Israel is leader in modernizing but most of the area lacks infrastructure because of war
Northeast-(Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan) Cultures Ethnic groups- Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Persians, Assyrians, Afghans 2. Sunnis- majority branch of Islam (83%+) 3. Shi’ites- most Iranians, large percentage of Iraqis 4. Taliban- strict Muslim group in Afghanistan Clashes over land 5. Kurds- stateless nation-persecuted in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Syria 6. Refugees- large numbers because of strife in Iraq and Afghanistan 7. Oil Fields- world is nervous as they watch the Persian Gulf What is happening in Iraq and Iran? 8. Rise of ISIS- major factor in region as they try to create an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria—modern day caliphate
KURDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Map of extent of ISIS