1. 6 THEMES OF THE MIDDLE EAST

2. THEME 1: OIL
The Middle East contains about 65% of the world’s oil reserves.
Saudi Arabia is the #1 oil country in the world.

3. Saudi Arabian Oil Port

4. THEME 2: ARID Most of the Middle East has a very arid (dry) climate.
Saudi Arabia contains the Rub-Al-Khali, the largest continuous sand desert in the world.
Many Middle Eastern countries have to trade profits from oil for increased water supplies.

5. Desert oasis in libya

6. THEME 3: ARAB WORLD Most Middle Easterners are Arabs.
Others, however, are Persians, Turks, Hebrews, etc.
Most people in the Middle East speak Arabic.
Most architectural styles in the Middle East are Arabic styles.

7. Arab architecture

8. THEME 4 3 WORLD RELIGIONS
The Middle East is the birthplace of three major world religions.
Judaism
Christianity
Islam

9. 3 Monotheistic religions

10. THEME 5: ISLAM Most people in the Middle East are Muslims.
Many governments in the Middle East follow Islamic principles.

11. Islamic women worship

12. THEME 6: CONFLICT The Middle East has seen many times of conflict.
The Jewish State of Israel has caused conflict for the last 50 years (Israeli-Palestinian Conflict).
The Bible has reference to the future Battle of Armageddon.

13. Arab israeli conflict

14. Israel is founded
After the horrible events of the holocaust many people believe Jews should have their own homeland to return to after WWII
UN split up Palestine into 2 sections, a Jewish and Arab state
Jews accepted, Arabs rejected the plan
Started a series of wars that still continue today

15. MUSLIM WOMEN: According to the Quran, men and women are equal before God. However women rights are not the same as the rights of women in the US.
Must cover their faces in public
Role of mother and wife more important then work, roughly on 16 to 50 percent of Muslim women are employed.
Stick marriage/gender roles

16. How Terrorists Hijacked Islam
Caused by charismatic leaders and misreading religious texts to find arguments to justify holy war against anyone or any country believed to be promoting an "anti-Islam agenda." And hard economic conditions have made a large pool of young men attracted to the argument that they can best serve Allah by donating their lives to the cause….
--Stern, Jessica. "How Terrorists Hijacked Islam." USA Today (30 September 2001).