1. Lesson 1: Geography & People

2.  Identify importance of the region.  Describe diversity of Middle Eastern peoples.  Locate key nations, waterways, and land forms in the Middle East

3.  Why is the Middle East called the Middle East?

4.  Where is the Middle East?  Arabian Peninsula, SW Asia, North Africa  Regions  Northern Tier  Arabian Peninsula  Fertile Crescent  Nile Valley  Maghreb

5.  Key Features  Deserts (Sahara, Rub ’al Khali)  Mountain Ranges (Atlas, Zagros & Elburz)  Rivers (Tigris & Euphrates, Nile)  Little rainfall – seasonal “wadis” erode topsoil – poor agriculture  Resources  Oil (60%) – OPEC  uneven distribution of wealth  Salt, copper, phosphate

6.  Strategic Location  Vital Waterways  Valuable Oil Resources  Religious Sites

7.  Historical Diffusion  Traders, conquerors, nomads cross ME  Spread/share ideas  Today 19 countries, 350m ppl!  Ethnic Diversity  Religious Diversity

8. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Turks (56m) Israelis (5m) Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) Armenians (5m) Kurds (20m)

9. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Israelis (5m) Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) Armenians (5m) Kurds (20m)

10. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Asia MinorTurkeyMuslimTurkish Israelis (5m) Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) Armenians (5m) Kurds (20m)

11. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Asia MinorTurkeyMuslimTurkish Israelis (5m) “Canaan” (Egypt – Iraq) Israel (1948)JudaismHebrew Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) Armenians (5m) Kurds (20m)

12. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Asia MinorTurkeyMuslimTurkish Israelis (5m) “Canaan” (Egypt – Iraq) Israel (1948)JudaismHebrew Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) “Palestine” (Egypt, S.Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Leb) Israel, W. Bank, Gaza Strip, (Refugee Camps) MuslimArabic Armenians (5m) Kurds (20m)

13. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Asia MinorTurkeyMuslimTurkish Israelis (5m) “Canaan” (Egypt – Iraq) Israel (1948)JudaismHebrew Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) “Palestine” (Egypt, S.Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Leb) Israel, W. Bank, Gaza Strip, (Refugee Camps) MuslimArabic Armenians (5m) TurkeyArmenia (Turkey & Russia) ChristianArmenian Kurds (20m)

14. GroupHomelandLocationReligionLanguage Arabs (190m ppl) Arabian Peninsula20 Countries in ME & Europe 90% Muslim 10% Christian Arabic Iranians (50m) Persia (S.Russia – Iran) IranMuslimPersian- Farsi Turks (56m) Asia MinorTurkeyMuslimTurkish Israelis (5m) “Canaan” (Egypt – Iraq) Israel (1948)JudaismHebrew Palestinians (1m ISR, 1.8m OT, 2m RC) “Palestine” (Egypt, S.Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Leb) Israel, W. Bank, Gaza Strip, (Refugee Camps) MuslimArabic Armenians (5m) TurkeyArmenia (Turkey & Russia) ChristianArmenian Kurds (20m) “Kurdistan” Turkey, Iran, Iraq,Syria, Russia MuslimKurdish

15. USE Books or Phones Countries Special Territories Waterways Deserts Mountains Cities

16.  Why is it important we study this region?  Strategic Importance  Economic Interests  Religious Diversity

17.  Finish Middle East Map (if not complete in class)