The Middle East II

The Middle East Mostly Arabian Culture Mostly Islamic

The Middle East The Middle East is a flexible term Includes most of North Africa plus Southwest Asia Some countries in North Africa may be excluded Some countries in Central Asia may be excluded

ARABIC COUNTRIES North Africa Southwest Asia Gulf States Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya Egypt Southwest Asia Iraq Syria Jordan Lebanon Palestine Yemen Gulf States Saudi Arabia Kuwait Qatar UAE (United Arab Emirates) Bahrain Oman

ARABIC COUNTRIES Speak Arabic The borders to most Arabic countries were drawn by Europeans Borders are not along ethnic lines Borders are not along religious lines Causes conflict where a strong leader (normally) holds the country together

Non Arab Countries in the Middle East Israel Jewish Turkey Turkish language and culture Iran Persian language and culture

Islam: Sunni vs. Shia

Natural Resources The middle east’s main resource is still Oil Many of the Middle Eastern countries were founding members of OPEC Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, & Kuwait Tries to control the price of oil by limiting supply

Natural Resources The Middle East lacks fresh water resources Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Oman use desalination plants to get fresh water

Hagia Sophia Built by the Roman Emperor Justinian in 532 First a Cathedral, then a Mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey Largest unsupported dome in the world

Arabic Architecture Has pointed arches Verses from the Koran and names of the prophets are incorporated into the buildings

North Africa Most people in Northern Africa live Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya Egypt Sudan Mali Niger Most people in Northern Africa live Along the coast Along the Nile River Along the Niger River All these areas provide fertile soil and better climates Arabic is the most common language

Sahara Made mostly of rocks and gravel Ergs-field of sand dunes Regs- extensive gravel-covered plains Hammadas- barren, stony, plateaus

Sahara Bigger than the Continental United States

TUAREGS Known for the blue robes they wear for protection from the Sahara desert Trade across the Sahara connecting Sub-Sahara Africa with the ports and goods of Northern Africa

TUAREGS Ancient people who originally traded salt for gold in the Ancient Malian city of Timbuktu Have their own culture and ethnic identity separate from the rest of Africa

Mali In 2012, the Tuareg fought for their own independent country in northern Mali. This weakened the government’s control of the area and militant terrorist groups seized the whole northern part of the country These terrorists wanted to set up a militant Islamic homeland

Mali In January 2013 France invaded northern Mali in an effort to kick out all terrorists in Mali In retaliation, terrorist groups in Algeria kidnapped European, American, and Japanese workers The Algerian military immediately intervened

TERRORISM violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror) Is done for a religious, political or, ideological goal Ideological-characterizes the thinking of a group or nation Targets civilians or people who do not fight

Egypt People have been living along the Nile River for eight thousand years The river provided: Water for crops A transportation route Fertile soil The surrounding desert provided safety from invaders

Arabia Rub al-Khali-the empty quarter The world’s largest sand sea Makes up 20% of Arabia’s land

Iraq and Mesopotamia The world’s first civilizations began here along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers These rivers begin in Turkey and flow through Syria and Iraq

Stateless Nations A stateless nation is a nation of people that do not have any land that is legally theirs Example: Between 70 AD and 1948 the Jews were a stateless nation No Israel on the map

Since 1948 the Palestinians have been considered to be a stateless nation

Kurdistan Kurds live in Turkey, Syria Iraq and Iran Kurds do not have their own country Stateless Nation

Kurdistan (stateless nation) Kurds are not Arabic or Turkish Kurdish Terrorists fight for Kurdish independence in Turkey

Ottoman Empire Capital was Istanbul Ruled Eastern Mediterranean Declined in 17th & 18th Centuries Fell after WWI http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Turkey.html

http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Ottoman.jpg

Colonial Times Ottoman Empire fell after WWI Britain and France divided up its possessions French Mandate included Lebanon and Syria British Mandate included Palestine, Trans-Jordan and Iraq

British & French Mandates http://travelogue.travelvice.com/postfiles/2009-05-10_1920-mandates.thumbnail.jpg