1. People in SW Asia

2. Who is an Arab? 75% of people in SW Asia Share a culture and language—Arabic Not all Arabs are Muslims (religion) Not all live in SW Asia

3. Other People and Languages Iran—Persian ethnic group and Muslim (not Arab), large population -speak Farsi and Arabic Turkey—Turks from central Asia, speak Turkish but use roman alphabet

4. Minority Groups Kurds, Armenians, Greeks, and Jews Often persecuted —Jews and the Holocaust Over 25 languages

5. Religions of the Region 90% Muslim – Sunni and Shiite divisions Christians scattered throughout Jews in Israel and a few in other countries

6. Village Farmers Sown land --farmable, river valleys, mountain sides, lots of irrigation Desalination –taking the salt out of salt water Fertigation –watering directly to the roots of plants

7. Desert Herders Bedouins –nomads to carry goods or herd in the desert Skilled at desert travel, finding water Way of life is dying out due to technology

8. Ancient Cities Damascus, Syria –oldest occupied city in world Istanbul, Turkey –major trading city Baghdad, Iraq and Tehran, Iran Jerusalem, Israel –see section on Israel