Satellite Image of The Middle East
Political Map of The Middle East
Predicament: Traditional Middle East? OR Near East? OR Greater Middle East? OR….?
Large Bodies of Water
Arabian Peninsula Bodies of Water The Red Sea The Gulf of Aden The Persian Gulf The Gulf of Oman
The Tigris & Euphrates River System
The Jordan River Connects the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea Highest Salt Content (33%) 2,300’ below sea level Lowest Point on Earth 2,300’ below sea level Lowest Point on Earth
Suez Canal Completed by the British in 1869 120 miles long, 79 ft deep, & 673 ft wide Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea 120 miles long, 79 ft deep, & 673 ft wide Connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea
Mountains & Peninsulas Elburz Mts. Taurus Mts. Zagros Mts. Caucasus Mts. Hejaz Mts. The Arabian Peninsula
Mountain Ranges in Mid-East Elburz Mts., Iran Zagros Mts., Iran Caucasus Mts., Turkey & Russia Taurus Mts., Turkey
The Arabian Peninsula “The Arabian Subcontinent” 1, 250,000 sq. miles The world’s largest peninsula 1, 250,000 sq. miles The world’s largest peninsula
Deserts Arabian Desert Negev Desert Sinai Desert Libyan Desert
The Arabian Desert 2,330,000 sq. miles Covers 90% the Arabian Peninsula 2,330,000 sq. miles Covers 90% the Arabian Peninsula
Rub al-Khali: “The Empty Quarter” 250,000 sq. miles Covers southern third of the Arabian Peninsula 250,000 sq. miles Covers southern third of the Arabian Peninsula
Desert Oases: Water at a Premium!
Fresh Groundwater Sources
Desalinization Plants
Fertile Crescent
The Fertile Crescent Area of Moist & Fertile land Nicknamed: “The Cradle of Civilization” Birth of various early civilizations Area of Moist & Fertile land Nicknamed: “The Cradle of Civilization” Birth of various early civilizations
The Middle East vs. the U. S. Latitude Lines
Climate Regions
Natural Vegetation
Earthquakes
Sandstorms and Dust Storms
Swarms of Desert Locusts! Locusts Swarm the Pyramids Complex at Giza! Israel Hit By Worst Locust Plague Since the 1950s!
The Natural Resources of the Middle East
World Oil Reserves
Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003)
Saudi Oil Fields & Refineries
Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil Kuwait City
Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East.
Middle East: Population Density
Cairo, Egypt: Most Populated City in the Middle East 17,000,000+ People!
Desert Bedouins