2. Chapter 23 Today’s Issues: Southwest Asia
Oil and religion have shaped modern Southwest Asia, but they’ve also brought the region lasting, often devastating conflicts and challenges.

3. Section 1: Population Relocation
Economic growth brings foreign workers to the region.
Political factors have shifted the region’s population.
Palestinian Refugees
U.A.E. Guest Workers

4. New Industry Requires More Workers
The Oil Boom Changes Economies and Lives
Life in Southwest Asia doesn’t change much from 1100–1900
some people live in villages, cities; others live nomadic lives
Petroleum, natural gas discovered in early 20th century
Western oil companies leased land, brought in technology, workers
Oil profits bring wealth to countries, urbanization begins
road construction makes cities accessible
thousands migrate to cities for jobs

5. Foreign Workers
Oil creates so many jobs that local workers can’t fill them all
oil companies employ “guest
workers” from South, East
Asia
mostly unskilled laborers; do
jobs native peoples find
unacceptable
In some places, immigrant
workers outnumber natives
90% of United Arab Emirates’
workers are immigrants
U.A.E. Oil Workers

6. Problems of Guest Workers
Cultural differences exist between guest workers, and employers
misunderstandings over customs can bring severe penalties
Often, workers live in special districts away from Arab population
some are abandoned or don’t get wages for months
Concerns over intolerance, violence toward workers
Some fear immigrants weaken countries’ national identities

7. Political Refugees Face Challenges
Stateless Nation
After WWI, land intended for Kurds was kept by Turkey, Iraq, Syria
Kurds a stateless nation—people without land to legally occupy
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria try unsuccessfully to absorb Kurds
Kurds resist governments’ control, are forcibly moved
Iraq forces Kurdish migration, uses chemical weapons on settlements
In 2000, 70,000 Kurds are displaced, many forced into camps
The borders of the proposed country of Kurdistan.

8. Palestinian Refugees
Palestinians—Arabs and descendents who lived in Palestine—displaced
stateless nation; living in relocation camps in Israel, elsewhere
When Israel is created, Palestinian Arabs are promised a homeland
during Israeli war of 1948, Israel occupies some of those lands
As many as 1 million Palestinians flee Israel, become refugees
52 camps in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, West Bank, Gaza Strip

10. Palestinian Refugees
West Bank—strip of land on west side of Jordan River
originally controlled by Jordan, but lost to Israel in 1967
Gaza Strip—along Mediterranean Sea northeast of Sinai Peninsula
occupied by Israel in 1967
Refugees unable to return to Israeli areas they claim
8.2 million worldwide by 2005
Their demand to return to Palestine is at heart of many regional conflicts

11. Section 2: Oil Wealth Fuels Change
Oil wealth brings political and economic changes to the region.
To achieve a diversified economy, countries need to improve infrastructure and resource use.

12. Meeting the Global Demand
The Pros and Cons of “Black Gold”
Oil (“black gold”) fuels world industries, transportation, economies
strategic commodity—important resource nations will fight over
Region has 64% of world’s oil deposits, 34% of natural gas reserves
by 2020 will provide 50% of world demand
Oil prices rise, fall unpredictably; revenue not assured
makes steady economic growth difficult; nations need to diversify

13. Using Oil Wealth to Diversify
Modernizing the Infrastructure
Saudi Arabia builds roads, irrigation networks, agricultural storage
also, desalinization plants to remove salt from seawater
Other nations build airports, malls, ports
efforts are not always well planned
UAE builds four international airports that are underused
Nations have made an effort to build information technology systems 3 2 1 4
Airports of the U.A.E.

14. Developing Resources
Nations seek to diversify, develop non-oil resources, agriculture
governments build dams, dig wells to tap underground reservoirs
Saudi Arabia uses oil profits to improve agriculture, water supplies
by 1985 it met its demand for dairy, meat, poultry, eggs
by 1992 it produced enough grain for own needs, some export
Oman revives copper, chromium industries, reduces oil dependence

15. Human Resources
Human resources—skills and talents of a nation’s people
nations must invest in people, including women
must provide education, technology training
Kuwait has free education through university level
Kuwait also pays fees, expenses if students study abroad
Many societies have strict rules about women’s roles
some find it hard to get education or jobs; but shortages create opportunities
Some Muslim countries require women to wear a burka that covers them entirely.

16. Case Study: Religious Conflict Over Land Who Should Control Jerusalem?
Background
Land conflicts between Jews, Arabs disrupt life in Southwest Asia
Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims
The issue of control of the city affects the area’s politics, people

17. Jerusalem

18. Control of Jerusalem Conflicts Over Holy Sites
After WWII, the UN designated Jerusalem an international city
intended to be controlled by international body
City is divided in 1948 after the Arab-Israeli war
Arabs take Old City, East Jerusalem in West Bank
Israelis control West Jerusalem, then after 1967 capture rest of city
Muslims keep control of Haram ash-Sharif (Temple Mount to Jews)
Israelis settle nearby Arab lands; Palestinian Arabs flee
UN Resolution 194 supports Palestinians’ “right of return”

19. Proposed Solutions to the Conflict
A Difficult Problem to Solve
Emotional issue: both sides claim city as their capital; solutions?
Palestinians could retain control of parts of East Jerusalem

20. Economics in Geography!?
Who determines what is to be produced?

21. The consumers determine what is to be produced!

22. How is production to be organized?

23. Each market organizes production to maximize efficiency.
Assembly Line: Created by Henry Ford.
This system maximized efficiency by having specialized jobs.
JIT: (Just in Time) Created by Toyota in the 1970’s.
This system maximized efficiency by reducing the inventory at auto plants. With parts arriving when they are needed

24. How are goods and services to be distributed?
Goods and services are distributed based on needs and the ability for those people to compensate for those needs.

25. What is the most effective allocation of the factors to be produced (land, labor, capital, and management)?

26. It depends!
For example: Land costs money and there are different types of land. Businesses must purchase or rent land/space to function. This will affect their location!
Farms
Office Buildings
Vs.

27. Labor
Businesses need employees to perform tasks. Each employee costs money. Businesses must define each job and responsibility.

28. Capital
Capital is money/currency. Each business must have capital to invest into their company to start it up. Each company must continue to make money in order to stay in business.

29. Management
Most companies have some form of management to organize their labor force. This organization defines the responsibilities of its employees.

30. Economic Critical Thinking Activity!
Pick your favorite item. You can pick any item. (Computer, video game, cell phones, iPods, shoes, baseball glove, etc….)
Where did it come from? (country and/or city)
Who sold it to you?
What materials were needed to produce the item? Where do these materials come from?
What types of jobs are created by this item? Think of how all the resources came together and how this item arrived at the store that you bought it from.