The Persian Gulf & Interior Chapter 19

I.Natural Environments A) Landforms & Rivers  Plate Tectonics?  Mesopotamia?  Exotic river?

 Mountains?

B. Climate  Climate?  Rub al-Kali?  Temps? Why?

C. Natural Resources  2 most important?  Saudi Arabia (world’s largest oil exporter!)  Oasis?  Fossil Water?  Desalinization?

II. History & Culture A) From Empires to Independence  Fertile Crescent?  World’s FIRST civilization?

B. The Rise of Islam  Who founded Islam?  Birth city?  God in Arabic?  Followers of Islam?  Holy book of Islam?  5 Pillars of Islam?  Holiest City?

the Ka’aba  35’ X 40’, and 50’  Built by Abraham & Ishmael  Black embroidered cloth  S.E. corner = sacred black stone  From heaven  Gabriel gave to Abraham  White?  Replica of the House of God in the 7 th heaven  Heaven = 7 levels  Hell = 7 levels (punishment fits the sin)

The Ka’aba

Five Pillars of Islam  1. Faith: There is no God but Allah, & Muhammad is the messenger of Allah  2. Prayers: 5X per day, face toward Mecca  3. Alms: give $ to the poor  4. Fasting: during the month of Ramadan, from dawn to sunset  5. Pilgrimage: perform the hajj to Mecca

C. Culture  Ethnicity?  Language?  Kurds?  Persians...language?

D. Religion & Society  Sunni Islam?  90% of Muslim world  Shi’a Islam?  10% of Muslim world  Iran & eastern Iraq  Difference?  Imam?

III. The Region Today A) Economic Development  Money makers?  Agriculture?  Pork & alcohol?  Bedouins?

B. Urban Environments  Largest cities?

C. Governments, Issues, & Challenges  World’s largest oil exporter?  O.P.E.C.?  Ayatollah?  Theocracy?  Saddam Hussein?  First Gulf War (Iran-Iraq War) ( )  Second Gulf War (Iraqi invasion of Kuwait) (1990)  2003 (U.S. invasion of Iraq b/c of WMDs?)