1. Study guide review
Geography and Culture

2. 1. Describe the climate of SW Asia
Hot and dry (arid)

3. 2. Know the locations of the major countries and features of SW Asia
Consult the map on the actual study guide

4. 3. What 120 mile man made waterway connects the Mediterranean and Red Sea?
The Suez canal

5. How does it help promote Trade?
Ships don’t have to travel around Africa to reach the markets of SW Asia

6. 4. What narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea?
The Strait of Hormuz

7. 5. What river is an important source of water for Israel, Jordan and Syria?
The Jordan River

8. 6. What are the major water problems in SW Asia?
Scarcity of water and pollution

9. 7. What is desalination?
The removal of salt

10. 7. Which countries do this?
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iraq and Israel are the main countries

11. 7. Which countries plants have been most damaged by war?
Iraq’s water treatment plants have been most damaged

12. 8. What is the most important economic resource in SW Asia?
Oil

13. 8. Which country has the most of this resource?
Saudi Arabia and Iraq have the largest reserves

14. 9. What are the two problems with oil production in SW Asia?
Pollution from spills and unequal distribution

15. 10. What are the three main religions in SW Asia?
Judaism, Christianity, Islam

16. 11. What does monotheism mean?
Belief in one God

17. 12. Who is considered the patriarch or father figure of all three religions of the middle east?
Abraham

18. 13. What is the difference in a religious group and an ethnic group?
A Religious Group follows a strict set of beliefs
An ethnic group is based on common culture

19. 14. What is the majority ethnic group in SW Asia?
Arabs

20. 15. Which country is SW Asia has a population made up of ethnic Persians?
Iran

21. 16. What are the two major groups in Islam and why did they split?
A disagreement about who would Islam after Muhammad's death

22. 16. Which branch of Islam is the majority?
Sunni Muslims 85%
(Shia Muslims 15%)

23. 17. Where do the Kurds live?
Mostly in the mountains of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and several other countries

24. 17. Is being a Kurd part of an ethnic group or a religion?
An Ethnic group (Arabs, Persians, Jews )

25. 18. What is the religion of Israel?
Judaism

26. 18. What is the most important city?
Jerusalem

27. 18. What groups claim this city as a holy site?
All three…Jews, Christians, Muslims

28. 19. What are the main Holy texts in the three religions?
Jews-The torah
Muslims (Islam)-The Koran
Christians-The Bible

29. What country’s water treatment plants have been most damaged by war?
Iraq