1. Physical Geography of the Middle East (N.Africa, SW Asia)

2. Seas & Peninsulas: Arabian Peninsula
Separated from Africa by Gulf of Aden & Red Sea
Sinai Pen. & Suez Canal separate the land to the north & west
Persian Gulf is on the east side
Gulf of Aden

3. Seas & Peninsulas: Anatolia
Bordered by the Black Sea to North, Aegean Sea to West and the Mediterranean Sea to South
Many straits connecting seas  lots of trade ($)
Bosporus Strait
Aegean Sea
ANATOLIA

4. Seas & Peninsulas Strait of Gibraltar
Separates Africa from Iberian Pen.
Only 8-9 miles or so wide
Known as ‘gateway to Africa’

5. Strait of Gibraltar

7. Seas & Peninsulas Strait of Hormuz
If sanctions put on Iran oil, strait would be cut off (some deny threat of sanctions)
~ 30% of world’s oil trade

8. Seas & Peninsulas: Dead Sea
On Jordan River (borders Jordan & Israel)
9X saltier than any ocean
In the 50s
L= 262 m, W= 57 m
Today
L= 42 m, W= 11 m
What does this mean?
The Dead Sea is heavily impacted by Desertification—it is shrinking 

11. The Jordan River
Israel & Jordan (and others in area) fight over water rights 11

12. Seas & Peninsulas Caspian Sea
Largest inland/landlocked body of water (lake)
But it is salt water!! (remnants of larger sea)
Facing increased evaporation & irrigation/industry uses, but a decrease in flow from feeder rivers

13. Seas & Peninsulas Aral Sea Use to be large & have productive fishing
Shrunk drastically due to USSR draining it for irrigation
How to adapt?
Build dams to provide irrigation

14. Rivers Nile River Longest in world Flows NORTH to Med. Sea
90% of Egyptians live in delta or along river (= 3% of land)
Faces great flood seasons  built Aswan High Dam for control, but it limits alluvial soil
Aswan High Dam

16. Hydroelectric Power Plant along the Nile River; also provides fish
Aswan High Dam
Hydroelectric Power Plant along the Nile River; also provides fish 16

17. Suez Canal Man-made canal; completed by the British in 1869
Links the Mediterranean & Red Seas! 17

19. Rivers Tigris & Euphrates Mesopotamia or “land between two rivers”
aka Fertile Crescent
Join to form Shatt al Arab
Border of Iraq &
Iran
Wars & treaties
over it

20. Rivers
Wadi in Oman
Wadis- dry streambeds that will fill with heavy rain  flash floods (seasonal)
Since they are typically arid, creates mud quickly dangerous mud flows

21. Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns.
Since most is desert/steppe agricultural base = coastal areas of Med. Sea, Caspian Sea, & Persian Gulf
Atlas Mountains
Longest mountain
range
Stretches from
Morocco to Algeria
Northern side of Atlas allows for lots of agriculture (farms, fishing, livestock)
Rainy side, Mediterranean climate

23. Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns. Hejaz & Asir Caucasus Mtns
West coast of Arabian Pen.
Some rainshadow effect to Central Plateau
Caucasus Mtns
b/w Black & Caspian Sea
Seen as border b/w
European Russia
& Asia

24. Mountain Ranges in Mid-East
Elburz Mts., Iran
Zagros Mts., Iran
Taurus Mts., Turkey 24

25. Plains, Plateaus, & Mtns. Garagum (Karakum)- Qizilqum (Kyzyl Kum)-
Black sand desert, covers 70% of Turkmenistan
Qizilqum (Kyzyl Kum)-
Red sand desert in Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan
Use wide spaces for livestock

27. Desert Bedouins 27

28. Fresh Groundwater Sources28

29. Desalinization Plants29

30. Tectonic Activity
Meeting point of the African, Arabian, & Eurasian plates
Reason for mountainous terrain
Many earthquakes
Iran has 90% of land on faults
Landforms still changing
Red Sea--expanding

32. Natural Resources
Oil (petroleum) & nat. gas are region’s most abundant resources
70% of world’s oil found here
33% of world’s nat. gas reserves found here
Reserves are still being discovered!
WWII sparked production as we moved to modern industry/reliance

33. The Natural Resources of the Middle East33

34. World Oil Reserves 34

35. Persian Gulf Oil Exports (2003)35

36. Leading U. S. Oil Suppliers
The U. S. imports 30% of its oil needs from the Middle East. 36

37. Natural Resources
Prob w/ oil dependence b/c economy stability fluctuates as oil prices fluctuate
Many countries are now diversifying
UAE  banking, info. tech, tourism
Libya  infrastructure, fisheries
Completed Dubai Tower