1. SAUDI ARABIA Largest country on Arabian Peninsula Low elevations on east side Interior is higher! Mountains on west coast – Hejaz Tihamah Coastal area on Red Sea – more moisture Mainly desert, temps as high as 130 degrees F Wadis, ergs! Rub’ al Khali largest desert – almost size of Texas Largest exporter of oil, 1/5 of world’s oil reserves Founding member of OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

2. Largest sand desert in the world!!!!

3. Major cities: Capital – Riyadh Holy cities – Mecca and Medina – birthplace of Islam Government: Absolute monarchy – House of Saud King Abdullah RIYADH

4. HOLY CITY OF MECCA

5. IRAQ Milder Mediterranean climate in NE Steppe climate to the west Desert climate dominates the rest Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – between these rivers is the only fertile area – alluvial plain Almost landlocked – just a small opening on the Persian Gulf 90% of revenue is OIL!

6. Previous dictator – Saddam Hussein Iraq-Iran War – 1980’s – Iran overthrew their monarch in 1979, established an Islamic Republic. Iran is a Shi’ite Muslim nation. Hussein feared his Sunni government would fall as well. Iraq has a Sunni Muslim minority 35%; Shi’ite Muslim majority 65% War with US – 2003 – 2011 (we still have a presence there) First real free elections held in 2005 Today Iraq has a very shaky Parliamentary Democracy. Baghdad is the capital. The second largest ethnic group – Kurds, also Sunni Muslim

7. Sunni protesters in Ramadi Nouri Al-Maliki – Prime Minister Sunni Jalal Jalabani – Kurdish President Sunni

8. IRAN Mediterranean Climate along Caspian Sea coast where Elburz Mountains located Desert in center – Iranian Plateau Area of tectonic activity – Zagros Mountains on west side Capital city – Tehran in the north Iranians are Persian and speak Farsi – NOT ARABS!!! Iran is a Shi’ite Islamic Republic ruled by Sharia law Chief of state – Ayatollah Khamenei President – Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Oil is the major export.

9. Zagros Mountains, Iran, peaks as high as 14,000’

10. AFGHANISTAN Steppe climate – arid Cold winters, hot summers In the highlands – very harsh conditions Hindu Kush Mountains in northeast next to Pakistan and Tajikistan Khyber Pass – famous mountain pass and ancient trade route into Pakistan Landlocked country Very poor country, yet loaded with natural resources – natural gas, coal, copper, iron ore, lead, zinc No major highways, few stable bridges, some areas – no roads Literacy rate – 28% Infant mortality rate – 121.6/1000 births Only 23% urban Many ethnic groups – Tajik, Hazara, Uzbeks, Pashtun (majority) Today a secular republic under President Karzi, but only somewhat stable in Kabul, capital city. Rural areas - tribal

11. Tora Bora – Black Caves. A series of caves where Taliban and Osama hid out!

12. President Karzi in Kabul A market in Kabul