1. Physical Geography of Southwest Asia

2. Physical Features: The Region’s Landforms
This region includes a variety of landforms that affect how and where people live.

3. The region of Southwest Asia is often referred to as the Middle East.
It extends from the Mediterranean coast eastward to Afghanistan, and also includes the Arabian Peninsula.

4. Seas and Waterways
The bodies of water surrounding Southwest Asia have helped people trade with the rest of the world.
Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz
The Suez Canal is a human-made waterway that allows ships to pass from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

5. Mountains, Plateaus, and Lowlands
Much of Southwest Asia has a rugged landscape.
Elburz Mts., Iran
Zagros Mts., Iran
Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
Anatolia Plateau, Turkey

6. (Mountains, Plateaus, and Lowlands con’t)
The narrow coastal plains of Israel and Lebanon (along the Mediterranean coast) support agriculture (farming).

7. Mountains & Plateaus Elburz Mts. Anatolian Plateau Zagros Mts.
Atlas Mts.
Iranian Plateau

8. Rivers
Because of the rugged, dry land, people have settled in river valleys to take advantage of the rich soil.
Yearly flooding of these rivers allow for farming.
Floods supplied water.
Silt (small particles of rich soil left by flood waters) made the land fertile.
Tigris & Euphrates Rivers, Iraq
Nile Delta
Annual Nile Flooding

9. The Fertile Crescent
(Rivers con’t)
Early civilizations developed along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
The area stretching from the Persian Gulf, over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, to the Mediterranean Sea and Nile River is known as The Fertile Crescent.
Dust Storms Along the Tigris-Euphrates Flood Plains

10. Physical Features: Natural Resources
The land in this region is rich in energy resources.

11. Oil and Gas Most abundant resources in the region
Important to the entire world
Persian Gulf has the largest reserves (oil not yet drilled)
Some countries in SWA have gained great wealth from oil production
Cause of conflict throughout SWA
Drilling for oil, Saudi Arabia
Oil pipeline, Kuwait

12. Persian Gulf oil exports, 2003
Oil fields in the Middle East

13. World Oil Reserves, 2002

14. Saudi Oil Fields & Refineries

15. Kuwait: An Island Floating on a Sea of Oil
Kuwait City

16. Other resources Coal and iron ore (Iran, Israel, and Turkey)
Phosphates to make fertilizer (Jordan, Syria, Israel)
Timber (Lebanon and Turkey)
Coal mining, Israel
Phosphate mining, Syria
Timber, Lebanon

17. Environmental Concerns
1. Water pollution
Industrial waste, oil spills, and sewage in the Persian Gulf
2. Air pollution
More cars
Refineries (facilities that turn oil into gas)

18. 3. Water is a scarce resource

19. Why do many people in Southwest Asia live near rivers?
Why do the people of Southwest Asia welcome river floods?
What natural resource is abundant in SWA?
What natural resource is scarce in SWA?
What is a benefit for a country that has oil?
Do all countries in SWA have oil? What problem can this cause?
Why is water pollution in SWA such an important concern?

20. “Quick Quiz” Deserts Timber Wealth Rivers and coasts Petroleum Water
What natural resource is abundant in SWA?
What natural resource is scarce in SWA?
What renewable resource is found in Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel?
Where do most people in SWA tend to live?
Where do fewest people in SWA tend to live?
What problem is caused by the unequal distribution of oil and water?
Deserts
Timber
Wealth
Rivers and coasts
Petroleum
Water
Conflict
Coal