OIL and Water in the Middle East

OIL (Petroleum)

Oil is the most important raw material in the Middle East.

See short Videos

Nearly half the world’s oil is produced by the following Middle Eastern countries: Saudi Arabia Iran Kuwait Iraq

Most Middle Eastern countries that produce oil belong to OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).

Secondary products made from oil include:

Gasoline

Coal Tar (for paving roads)

Medicines (such as Vaseline- petroleum jelly, and lip balm)

Plastics

Oil sales generate billions of dollars per year to the economies of many Middle Eastern countries.

Rich Arabs

The availability of abundant oil supplies has helped many of these countries to modernize and develop themselves.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Kuwait City, Kuwait

Doha, Qatar

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE )

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE ) The Burj Dubai, the tallest man- made structure in the world.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE ) The Burj Dubai, the tallest man- made structure in the world.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE ) The Burj Dubai, the tallest man- made structure in the world.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE ) The Palm Island Resort

Unfortunately, mining oil sometimes leads to serious environmental consequences such as POLLUTION!

Burning Oil Field

Polluted ocean section.

Oil spill

Dead marine life

Affected bird

Oil Spill

Oil Spill Cleanup

Oil Consumption (Darker colors represent more consumption )

Oil Refinery

Water

What is the landscape in the Middle East like? Arabian Desert

What is the landscape in the Middle East like? Desert Sidewinder

Why do you think water is very important in the Middle East?

Do you think people like mostly around water?

Digging for water in Saudi Arabia

Jordan River

Do you think countries in the Middle East have had conflicts over water?

Arab-Israeli Wars Six-Day War (Not how armies camp around water sources)