1. INTRO TO THE MIDDLE EAST
WORLD GEOGRAPHY

2. HERE IS THE WORLD…
…AND HERE IS NORTH AFRICA AND SOUTHWEST ASIA
Due to the location, it’s called the Crossroads of Continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia

3. SOUTHWEST ASIA IS MORE COMMONLY CALLED THE “MIDDLE EAST”
NORTH AFRICA
MIDDLE EAST
SOUTHWEST ASIA
SOUTHWEST ASIA IS MORE COMMONLY CALLED THE “MIDDLE EAST”

4. SOME COUNTRIES IN NORTH AFRICA ARE
(Sinai Peninsula)
ALGERIA
AND EGYPT
LIBYA

5. SOME COUNTRIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST ARE:
AFGHANISTAN
TURKEY
IRAN
IRAQ
SAUDI ARABIA
KUWAIT
QATAR
ISRAEL
AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

6. Most of the climate is arid (dry) and semi-arid (partly dry)
DESERT
SEMI
DESERT
DESERT
DESERT
DESERT
SAHEL
DESERT
Most of the climate is arid (dry) and semi-arid (partly dry)

7. Some Physical Features you need to know are:
BLACK SEA
Bosporus Strait & Dardanelles Strait
(SPLITS TURKEY FROM THE REST OF EUROPE)
TAURUS MTS
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
ATLAS MTS
PERSIAN GULF
ZAGROS MTS
SAHARA DESERT
RED SEA
STRAIT OF HORMUZ
ARABIAN SEA
NILE RIVER
TIGRIS RIVER
EUPHRATES RIVER
There is also a lot of seasonal flooding, alluvial soils (deposits from the river), and delta regions (like the Nile delta).
There are also natural water reservoirs likes oases and wadis.
An oasis is fertile land in a desert, usually fed by an underground spring
A wadi is a temporary watering hole when a gully gets filled up during the rainy season.

8. Many cities are known for their influence on culture and trade
BAGHDAD, IRAQ
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
TEHRAN, IRAN
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
TRIPOLI, LIBYA
MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA
CAIRO, EGYPT
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL

9. Many Areas around the Middle East and North Africa are world famous.
Follow these cultural landmarks. Do you recognize any?

10. The Pyramids at Giza
The ancient Egyptians used manual labor and wooden tools to build these magnificent tombs for pharoahs.

11. MINARETS
MOSQUES: places of worship for Muslims. Typical features are domes and minarets
DOME

12. The Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey
The Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey. Built between 532 and 537 by the Christian Emperor Justinian I as a Byzantine church, which it functioned as for the next 900 years. In 1453, the Islamic-faithed Ottomans took over Constantinople (now Istanbul). They wasted little time in converting the Hagia Sophia into a mosque. It served the Muslims for almost 500 years. The Ottomans painted over the Christian mosaics - and erected the four defining minarets we see today. In 1934, Turkey changed the Hagia Sofia's status from mosque to museum and uncovered the priceless Byzantine mosaics.

13. The Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem: This Muslim holy site was built on the remains of the Temple of Solomon, a holy site for Jews

14. The Kaaba
Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Kaaba is the most sacred site for Muslims. A Muslim must take the haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca at least once in his/her life.

15. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Jerusalem: This church was built on the site where Christians believe that Jesus Christ was crucified.

16. The Western Wall in Jerusalem: Also known as the Wailing Wall

17. Bazaars are also called “suqs”
Other notable cultural landmarks:
A “Bazaar” is an open-air market, usually in the center of a Middle eastern town. This bazaar specializes in woven Arabian carpets- verrrrrrry popular!!!!
Bazaars are also called “suqs”

18. Cultural Landscapes are old….
Like the many walled cities around the Arab World…

19. …and new
Like the oil rigs around the Middle East

20. How many of these did you already know?
Around the world, people recognize places and culture reflecting the Middle East.
How many of these did you already know?