1. Ethnic & Religious Groups of the Middle East

2. What are the differences between ethnic groups and religious groups?

3. Ethnic groups share –
language
physical features
customs
traditions

4. Religious groups share common are not necessarily a single
belief systems
BUT
are not necessarily a single
ethnic group.

5. Arabs may be Muslims or Christians.
For example:
Arabs may be Muslims or Christians.

6. Which concept relates to religion rather than ethnicity. A
Which concept relates to religion rather than ethnicity? A. Kimba is Arab. B. Mustafa follows the Quran. C. Kemal is a nomadic herder. D.Jambo speaks Kurdish.

7. Shara is Arab. Why can’t it be assumed that Shara is Muslim?
A. All Arabs are not Muslim
B. All Arabs are Christian
C. Muslims are not Arab
D. Christians are not Arab

8. The main ethnic groups found in the Middle East are:
Arabs
Persians
Kurds

9. Arabs
The Arabs of Southwest Asia (Middle East) believe themselves to be descendants of Abraham in the Bible through his son Ishmael.
Arabs speak the Arabic language

10. Arabs Some Arabs are Sunni Muslims while other are Shia Muslims
Many Arabs are Christians

11. Persians Persians live in Iran.
They are descendants of Indo-Europeans from Central Europe and Southern Russia
Persians speak Farsi
Persians practice Islam & most belong to the Shia group of Muslims

12. Kurds
The Kurds live in several different countries in the Middle East.
Most Kurds are found in the mountainous areas where Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq come together.

13. Kurds Kurds see themselves as a distinct ethnic group from others
They speak their own language, Kurdish
They have a separate history, literature, music, and set of traditions

14. Kurds
Kurds hope to have a nation of their own some day, a hope which causes conflict with the countries where the Kurds live.
Most Kurds are Sunni Muslims, though a small minority are Shia Muslims.