1. Central and Southwest Asia

2. Southwest Asia vs Middle East Formal and Perceptual Region

3. Physical Features: Central Asia
Central Asia is mostly flat and stretches from the Caspian Sea to China.
*“Stan” means country of the _____.

4. Physical Features: Caucasus Nations
The Caucasus Nations stretch from the Caspian Sea to the Black Sea.
They are separated from Russia by the Caucasus Mountains.
Physical Features: Caucasus Nations

5. Physical Features: Southwest Asia
The Arabian Peninsula is dominated by deserts.
Plateaus and mountains cover the North.
The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and Nile create the fertile crescent.

6. Rub al-Khali:
“The Empty Quarter”
size of Texas

7. Climate and Ecosystems Central Asia and Caucasus Nations
C.A. is mostly arid or semi-arid (dry). The Caucasus nations are a bit milder.
C.A. is dominated by deserts, while the Caucasus is mostly mixed forests.
Climate makes the regions rivers very important.

8. Climate and Ecosystems Southwest Asia
Region is mostly arid or semi-arid expect for the areas around the Mediterranean and in the mountains.
The south is covered in deserts but the north has some grasslands and forests.
Climate makes the regions rivers very important.

9. Arid & Semiarid Mediterranean Highland Most common
Processes: dry wind currents & rain shadow effect
Arid & Semiarid
Milder & wetter along Mediterranean coasts
Processes: bodies of water& wind currents
Mediterranean
Northern rugged mountains of SW Asia
Processes: elevation
Highland

10. Ecosystem Patterns Desert Grasslands Forests
Most common (arid climate)
Sahara & Rub al’Kahli
Desert
Northern SW Asia (semi-arid or Mediterranean climate)
Best agricultural land (Fertile Crescent)
Grasslands
Mountains (highlands/ Mediterranean)
River valleys
Forests

11. Impacting Where People Live…
What is the pattern of population density?
What processes are involved?
Prediction: How might population growth impact this?

12. Economics and Resources Central Asia and Caucasus Nations
Includes Nomadic herding and commercial farming along rivers.
Several natural resources including petroleum (oil and natural gas).

13. Economics and Resources Southwest Asia
Nomadic herding dominates the South while farming is common in the North.
Oil is the most important natural resource and is concentrated around the Persian Gulf.

14. World Oil Reserves

15. Current Issues Southwest Asia
Environmental issues including desertification and pollution.
Unrest among ethnic and religious groups.
Uneven economic development.
Unstable political systems.