1. Persian Gulf & Eastern Mediterranean Natural Environments
The Middle East
Persian Gulf & Eastern Mediterranean
Natural Environments

2. Landforms and Rivers
Tectonic forces have shaped the physical features of this region
Rugged Mountains
Narrow gulfs and seas
Turkey lies in Europe and Asia, most lies in Asia and is known as Anatolia
Three narrow bodies of water separate Europe from Asia (Bosporus, Dardanelles and Sea of Marmara)

3. Middle East Map

4. Mountains Zagros Mountains Elbruz Mountains Kopet-Dag Hindu Kush
SW. Iran
Elbruz Mountains
N. Iran near Caspian
Kopet-Dag
N. Iran Near Turkmenistan
Hindu Kush
Afghanistan – Western extension of the Himalayas
Pontiac & Taurus Mountains
N & S Anatolia

5. Physical Map

6. Mesopotamia
To the north and east of the Arabian Peninsula & lies mostly in Iraq
In Greek it means “between the rivers”
Large plain through which two great rivers flow
Tigris and Euphrates (longest in Mid East)
Exotic Rivers – begin in humid regions and then flow across dry areas
Join at the Shat al Arab before draining into the Persian Gulf

7. Mesopotamia – cradle of civilization

8. Rivers

9. Turkey’s coastal plain
Runs from Turkey south along the coasts of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel
Jordan River flows south into the Dead Sea
Dead Sea lies 1312 ft below sea level
Lowest land on Earth
Once part of Mediterranean
salty

10. Dead Sea

11. Climates – Persian Gulf
Hot and dry dominate
Southern interior mostly uninhabited desert
Rub’ al-Khali (“empty quarter”) – aka Arabian Desert
An Nafud
Humid in N Iran and Yemen – Orographic
Lowlands of Saudi Arabia among hottest on Earth – high humidity along coast

12. Arabian Desert

13. Climates – Eastern Mediterranean
Arid, semiarid, and Mediterranean
Syrian Desert covers both Syria and Jordan
Negev Desert lies in N. Israel
Distance from sea, elevation, and rain shadows affect rainfall and temperatures
Evergreen forests once covered much of E. Mediterranean Highlands
Cedar trees of Lebanon

14. Lebanon

15. Natural Resources OIL, OIL, OIL, OIL, OIL, & more OIL!!!!!!!!!! Water
Most along Tigris and Euphrates
Oasis – only surface water in desert areas
Deep wells can reach fossil waters
Fossil waters cannot be renewed
Desalinization – remove salt
Dead Sea provides potash and Magnesium
Potash used to process wool, make glass, fertilizers and soft soap
Magnesium is a light metal used in aerospace

16. Oil

17. Desalinization