1. Chapter 4 Vocabulary North Africa and Southwest Asia Today

2. oasis A green area in a desert fed by underground water

3. terrorism the use of violent acts against civilians to achieve certain goals

4. delta area formed from soil deposited by a river at its mouth

5. silt Small particles of rich soil

6. secular non-religious

7. constitutional monarchy form of government where a king or queen is head of state, but elected officials run the government

8. dictator all-powerful government leader

9. aquifer underground rock layers that store large amounts of water

10. mosque places of worship for followers of Islam

11. embargo an order that restricts trade with another country

12. Islamic Republic a government run by Muslim religious leaders

13. Bedouin a nomadic Arab of the deserts of Southwest Asia

14. moshav a cooperative settlement of individual farms in Israel where people share in farming, but also own some private property

15. shah a title given to kings who ruled Iran

16. wadi a dry riverbed filled with rainwater from rare downpours

17. desalinization taking salt out of seawater

18. alluvial plain an area built up by rich fertile soil left by river floods

19. hajj a religious journey to Mecca that Muslims are expected to make at least once during their lifetime

20. kibbutz settlement in Israel where people share property and produce goods