Middle East – Human-Environment interaction Population Distribution & Environmental Issues Middle East – Human-Environment interaction

Words to know Desalination Water Pollution Desertification

Major Environmental Issues Water Supply Very limited in Middle East Many countries must use desalination to get drinking water Process of removing salt from salt water to make it okay for drinking and farming Few rivers in the area Tigris, Euphrates, Jordan and Nile rivers Used for drinking water and generate power If you don’t have a river in your region, you must find alternate methods for drinking water and power.

Major Environmental Issues Rights to Water Supply Disputes over rights to water supply and other natural resources in the region Water rights Agreements about how countries can use the water in a region.

Major Environmental Issues Israel, Jordan and Palestinians Rely on the same scarce water supply on the West Bank Israel has the most power – so they have the ability to claim more water. What happens if they build a dam? Recycle the water so many people have access to water without a major shortage

Major Environmental issues Water Pollution Port cities Ports make it easier to ship things Water is often polluted by the shipping industry Oil is the main export Oil spills are one of the main causes for water pollution in the Persian Gulf

Summarizing Strategy – Think, Pair, Share How does a limited supply of water affect how nations treat each other? Does the Middle East suffer from a small amount of water supply, unequal distribution of water, or both? Why??? How has water rights caused conflict in the Middle East?

Desertification The process of land turning to desert

According to recent studies the desert is making a comeback in the Middle East, with fertile lands turning into barren wastes that could further destabilize the area, according to a recent AFP report

Oil Distribution – World

Oil Distribution – Middle East

Oil Distribution

Oil Distribution World’s largest source of oil - Persian Gulf Pollution issues – air and water Damage to refineries during war Not repairing damages Pollution was a strategy used during war Dumped oil into Persian Gulf Burned oil wells to prevent USA from gaining control Lack of water supply makes the pollution issue even bigger.

Oil Distribution How does oil distribution impact the development of countries with and without oil? Standard of Living - GDP Literacy Rate

Standard of Living – Average Income

Literacy Rate

Summarizing Activity – Think-Pair-Share If a country does not have oil fields, what type of economy do they have? If a country is poor, what type of literacy rate do they have? Why???

Population Distribution How do rivers and deserts impact where people live, where they work and how they travel? People settle around the limited fresh water supply. Civilizations concentrate around fertile soil. People aren’t going to settle in a hot desert . . . . Why? Crops are grown within these areas. Subsistence Farming – Grow enough only for their families. Most people within the Middle East are nomads (wander) within the desert regions.

Population Distribution

Natural Resources Most economies were once based on farming Discovery oil – main source of income Governments with large oil deposits stopped investing in other parts of their economies. Countries without oil are poorer.

Land Use and Resources

Transportation How do deserts and rivers impact transportation in the Middle East? Rivers provide transportation routes Remember . . . There are few rivers in the region. Deserts and mountains are transportation barriers Difficult to produce and transport goods.

Summarizing activity – Think-Pair-Share How has the development of the oil industry in the Middle East impacted other industries within those countries?