Preliminaries Return map tests Return map tests Geography Conference Geography Conference Field trip Field trip Africa question Africa question North Africa/Southwest Asia North Africa/Southwest Asia

WDCAG – March 11-13, 2005 The Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers. The Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers. Annual conference is in Lethbridge. Annual conference is in Lethbridge. For details see the Geography website ( For details see the Geography website ( Reduced rates for students ($30). Reduced rates for students ($30). Includes: Includes: Conference registration, Banquet, Field trips (nominal fee), Curling Funspiel, Free entrance to Friday night social. Conference registration, Banquet, Field trips (nominal fee), Curling Funspiel, Free entrance to Friday night social.

Friday Night Social. Held at the Zoo. Held at the Zoo. Live Band (Southern Flyer playing from 8 pm- midnight). Live Band (Southern Flyer playing from 8 pm- midnight). Pizza by the slice. Pizza by the slice. Lots of Geographers from Western Canada (Manitoba to BC). Lots of Geographers from Western Canada (Manitoba to BC). Come and meet other students and professors. Come and meet other students and professors. You don’t have to register for the conference to come and join us ($5/cover). You don’t have to register for the conference to come and join us ($5/cover).

Africa Question: Why was disease such a problem? (by contrast with Latin America) Colonial era Colonial era Latin America’s indigenous people decimated by European diseases: influenza and small pox Latin America’s indigenous people decimated by European diseases: influenza and small pox Facilitating conquest, colonization, settlement Facilitating conquest, colonization, settlement Most European settlement at higher elevations, more temperate climate Most European settlement at higher elevations, more temperate climate Low population density in coastal/tropical regions Low population density in coastal/tropical regions Africa – tropical environment Africa – tropical environment Half of all Europeans who remained on African coastline died within one year Half of all Europeans who remained on African coastline died within one year Higher elevations less high, less accessible Higher elevations less high, less accessible Large indigenous population as vectors Large indigenous population as vectors

Africa Question: Why is disease such a problem? Contemporary era Contemporary era High mortality, low life expectancy High mortality, low life expectancy Population is vulnerable Population is vulnerable Rapid growth, limited food production, malnutrition Rapid growth, limited food production, malnutrition Debilitating effect of endemic disease fostered by tropical environment Debilitating effect of endemic disease fostered by tropical environment Poor health care facilities and care Poor health care facilities and care Considerations not hard answers! Considerations not hard answers!

African Transition Zone

NORTH AFRICA & SOUTHWEST ASIA Oil Oil Regions of North Africa/Southwest Asia Regions of North Africa/Southwest Asia Mahgreb & Libya Mahgreb & Libya Egypt Egypt Iraq Iraq Turkey Turkey Cyprus Cyprus Israel Israel

Defining the Realm

THE IMPACT OF OIL 65% of known reserves 65% of known reserves High incomes High incomes Modernization Modernization Industrialization Industrialization Intra-realm migration Intra-realm migration Inter-realm migration Inter-realm migration Regional disparities Regional disparities Foreign investment Foreign investment Dubai, UAE. Dhows & skyscrapers

REGIONS OF THE REALM

Maghreb The Maghreb - Atlas mountains The Maghreb - Atlas mountains Orographic rainfall Orographic rainfall Coastal population Coastal population Mediterranean agriculture exports to Europe Mediterranean agriculture exports to Europe Saharan interior Saharan interior

Libya: The Maghreb’s neighbor Libya – Arid but oil rich – not truly Maghreb Libya – Arid but oil rich – not truly Maghreb Territorial claims Territorial claims Gulf of Sidra Gulf of Sidra Aozou Strip Aozou Strip Muammar Gadhafi Muammar Gadhafi Normalization of relations with U.S. Normalization of relations with U.S.

Continuous civilization > 5,000 years Continuous civilization > 5,000 years 95% of Egypt’s 74.1 million people live within (20 kms) of the Nile 95% of Egypt’s 74.1 million people live within (20 kms) of the Nile Largest Arab state Largest Arab state Heritage tourism Heritage tourism EGYPT AND THE LOWER NILE BASIN

Egypt Basin irrigation: floodwater trap Basin irrigation: floodwater trap Perennial irrigation - mid 1800s Perennial irrigation - mid 1800s Aswan High Dam Aswan High Dam Symbolic megaproject Symbolic megaproject Relocation of Abu Simbel Relocation of Abu Simbel Increased agricultural land by 50% Increased agricultural land by 50% Provides 40% of electricity Provides 40% of electricity But: But: Salinization Salinization Rising water table - schistosomiasis Rising water table - schistosomiasis Commercial fertilizer & pesticide dependency Commercial fertilizer & pesticide dependency Delta fishery suffers from water quality Delta fishery suffers from water quality

MIDDLE EAST

The Middle East “Middle” of the Islamic realm “Middle” of the Islamic realm Center of conflict Center of conflict Sunni - Shi’ite Sunni - Shi’ite Kurdistan: Nation without a state Kurdistan: Nation without a state Turkey Turkey Iran Iran Iraq Iraq

Iraq Surrounded by enemies Surrounded by enemies Iran-Iraq War Iran-Iraq War Kuwait invasion 1990, Persian Gulf War, 1991 Kuwait invasion 1990, Persian Gulf War, 1991 Axis of Evil: Iraq, Iran, North Korea, 2002 Axis of Evil: Iraq, Iran, North Korea, 2002 WMD WMD Iraq War, March 2003 Iraq War, March 2003 Iraq occupation Iraq occupation

Iraq’s 4 Regions Iraq Desert Iraq Desert Kurdish Domain Kurdish Domain 16%, 1990 victims of WMD 16%, 1990 victims of WMD Sunni Domain Sunni Domain Powerful minority (22%), Ba’athist Party Powerful minority (22%), Ba’athist Party Mid-Tigris west of Baghdad: Samarra & Tikrit Mid-Tigris west of Baghdad: Samarra & Tikrit Shiah Domain Shiah Domain Lower Tigris East of Baghdad: Basra Lower Tigris East of Baghdad: Basra Persecuted majority (60%), repression under Saddam Persecuted majority (60%), repression under Saddam

IRAQ

THE EMPIRE STATES

Iran Persian Empire Persian Empire Indo-Iranian – Farsi Indo-Iranian – Farsi Shi’ite Shi’ite Rugged plateau, pastoral nomadism Rugged plateau, pastoral nomadism Tehran – 7.3 million Tehran – 7.3 million Peacock throne, Shah deposed in 1979 Peacock throne, Shah deposed in 1979 Fundamentalism Fundamentalism

TURKEY Ottoman empire Ottoman empire 6th century empire stretching Mongolia to the Black Sea 6th century empire stretching Mongolia to the Black Sea Spread the Turkic language Spread the Turkic language Collapsed Collapsed Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) Father of modern Turkey Father of modern Turkey Capital from Constantinople to Ankara Capital from Constantinople to Ankara Westernized turkey and broke free from the Arab world Westernized turkey and broke free from the Arab world

Turkey Westernization in 1930s Westernization in 1930s Islam lost official status Islam lost official status Roman alphabet replaced Arabic Roman alphabet replaced Arabic Islamic law replaced by western code Islamic law replaced by western code Fez and beards outlawed Fez and beards outlawed Monogamy Monogamy Women’s rights Women’s rights Turkey distanced from Arab world Turkey distanced from Arab world Western-Islamic tensions Western-Islamic tensions EU membership EU membership

Cyprus Population of 900,000 Population of 900,000 Greek heritage Greek heritage Conquered by Turks in 1571 Conquered by Turks in British control British control After World War II After World War II Independence or union with Greece or Turkey? Independence or union with Greece or Turkey? Independence Independence Civil War Civil War Turkish republic of northern Cyprus seceded Turkish republic of northern Cyprus seceded

ISRAEL

Zionism Zionism Political movement (1897) advocating the return of the Jewish people from the diaspora to Palestine and the creation of a Jewish homeland and state Political movement (1897) advocating the return of the Jewish people from the diaspora to Palestine and the creation of a Jewish homeland and state Balfour Declaration (1917) Balfour Declaration (1917) Supports the concept of a Jewish homeland Supports the concept of a Jewish homeland Jewish immigration to Palestine Jewish immigration to Palestine 1922 – British mandate to govern Palestine 1922 – British mandate to govern Palestine Israel

UN partition plan for Palestine UN partition plan for Palestine Division into Jewish and Arab areas Division into Jewish and Arab areas British evacuate Palestine in 1948 British evacuate Palestine in 1948 Proclamation of Israel as a state (14 May 1948) Proclamation of Israel as a state (14 May 1948) 1948: Arab invasion (War of Independence) 1948: Arab invasion (War of Independence) Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, & Syrian forces Egyptian, Iraqi, Jordanian, & Syrian forces Israel seizes more land than prescribed under UN mandate Israel seizes more land than prescribed under UN mandate Armistice (1949) Armistice (1949) 900,000 Palestinian refugees 900,000 Palestinian refugees ISRAEL

Arab – Israeli conflicts Arab – Israeli conflicts 1956: Suez war 1956: Suez war 1967: Six-day war – Israel gains control of: 1967: Six-day war – Israel gains control of: Gaza strip Gaza strip Sinai peninsula (returned to Egypt) Sinai peninsula (returned to Egypt) West bank of the River Jordan West bank of the River Jordan East sector of Jerusalem East sector of Jerusalem Golan Heights in Syria Golan Heights in Syria 1973: Yom Kippur War 1973: Yom Kippur War ISRAEL

Current Arab-Israeli Issues Golan Heights- return to Syria? Golan Heights- return to Syria? Security Zone- return to Lebanon? Security Zone- return to Lebanon? Jerusalem- Holy City? Jerusalem- Holy City? West Bank- Palestinian homeland? West Bank- Palestinian homeland? Palestinians- refugee problem Palestinians- refugee problem Arab/Islamic disruption- impact of extremist groups Arab/Islamic disruption- impact of extremist groups

West Bank 200, ,000 Israeli settlers Israeli settlers Middle class commuters Middle class commuters Aquifers are significant Aquifers are significant