1. Next Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Chapter 23 Geography Southwest Asia Today’s Issues: Oil and religion have shaped modern Southwest Asia, but they’ve also brought the region lasting, often devastating conflicts and challenges.

2. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Population Relocation Section-1 Economic growth brings foreign workers to the region. Political factors have shifted the region’s population.

3. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Continued... Section-1 New Industry Requires More Workers The Oil Boom Changes Economies and Lives Population Relocation 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

4. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography New Industry Requires More Workers {continued} 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 places, immigrant works outnumber native workers − 90% of United Arab Emirates’ workers are immigrants Continued…

5. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography New Industry Requires More Workers {continued} Problems of Guest Workers Cultural differences exist between guest workers, 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

6. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography 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 Continued…

7. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Political Refugees Face Challenges {continued} 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 Continued…

8. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Political Refugees Face Challenges {continued} 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

9. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Oil Wealth Fuels Change Section-2 Oil wealth brings political and economic changes to the region. To achieve a diversified economy, countries need to improve infrastructure and resource use.

10. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Oil Wealth Fuels Change Section-2 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

11. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography 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 Continued…

12. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Developing Resources Using Oil Wealth to Diversify {continued} 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 Continued…

13. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Using Oil Wealth to Diversify {continued} 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 − hard to get education or jobs; shortages create opportunities

14. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Religious Conflict Over Land Case Study 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

15. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Case Study 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”

16. Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Next Previous Chapter 23 Geography Case Study 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 − Israel would annex several nearby settlements, expand territory Israel retains control of West Jerusalem, Jewish Quarter of Old City − Palestinians would retain control of Old City, East Jerusalem Palestinians control Temple Mount, give up refugees’ right of return International agency controls all holy sites