Transcript 10-12 Overview of Countries N Africa and SW Asia

An Overview of Middle
Eastern Countries
Chapters 10, 11, and 12
Middle Eastern Conflict
For many years there has been conflict in the
Middle East. The United Nations helps try
to solve the conflicts.
United Nations – a body of world leaders
who meet to discuss and solve world
problems.
Iraq
Capital: Baghdad
Population:
24,200,000
Government:
Transitional
Democracy
Major Ethnic
Group:
Arab
Major Religion:
Islam
Language:
Arabic
Iraq and the United Nations
• 1979 – 2003 Sadaam Hussein ruled Iraq as a military
dictator.
• 1990’s – Iraq invaded Kuwait because of oil. This led
to the Persian Gulf War in 1991. United Nations troops
led by the U.S. pushed Iraqi troops out of Kuwait.
• 2003 – Hussein refused to allow United Nations
inspectors in to investigate their nuclear program. U.S.
and British forces invaded Iraq to help the U.N. look
for the weapons. Sadaam was overthrown in less than
a month. In December 2003, he was captured.
• Dec 2006 – Sadaam was executed.
Iran
Capital: Tehran
Population:
66,600,000
Government:
Islamic Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Persian
Language:
Religion:
Persian
Islam
Iran and the United Nations
Iran is an Islamic Republic. It is a government
run by Muslim Religious Leaders. All the laws
are based on Quran. The country’s leader is
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He has talked openly
about his dislike of America and Israel.
Currently, Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.
The United States has warned Iran that if they
do not stop pursuing a weapons program, the
United States will take action. The United
Nations has warned Iran to submit to its rules
about nuclear weapons.
Afghanistan
Capital: Kabul
Population:
28,700,000
Government:
Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Language:
Pashtun
Pashto
Religion:
Islam
Afghanistan
In 1989 a civil war caused the country to collapse
and in the 1990’s the Taliban came to power. It
was an oppressive Islamic terrorist regime that
did not respect human rights. It was linked to
the terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001. The
U.S. led coalition (U.N.) forces into
Afghanistan. The Taliban fell in 2002.
Currently Afghanistan has a democratic
government.
Egypt
Capital: Cairo
Population:
72,100,000
Government:
Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Egyptian
Language:
Religion:
Arabic
Islam
Jordan
Capital: Amman
Population:
5,500,000
Government:
Constitutional
Monarchy
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Arab
Language:
Religion:
Arabic
Islam
Saudi Arabia
Capital: Riyadh
Population:
24,100,000
Government:
Traditional
Monarchy
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Arab
Language:
Religion:
Arabic
Islam
Lebanon
Capital: Beirut
Population:
4,200,000
Government:
Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Language:
Religion:
Arab
Arabic
Islam
Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
Population:
6,700,000
Government:
Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Jewish
Language:
Religion:
Hebrew
Judaism
Palestine
Population:
3,800,000
Government:
Republic
Major Ethnic
Groups:
Palestinians
Language:
Arabic
Religions:
Islam
Syria
Capital: Damascus
Population: 17,500,000
Major Ethnic Groups: Arab
Government: Republic
Language: Arabic
Religion: Islam
Turkey
Capital: Ankara
Language: Turkish
Government: Republic
Population: 71,200,000
Religion: Islam
Major Ethnic Groups: Turkish
• Egypt
• Libya
North African Countries
Country
Government Language
Religion
Algeria
Republic
Arabic
Islam
Libya
Military
Dictatorship
Arabic
Islam
Morocco
Constitutional
Monarchy
Arabic
Islam
Tunisia
Republic
Arabic
Islam