Transcript Southwest Asia (The Middle East)

Southwest Asia
(The Middle East)
Chapters 21, 22, and 23
Land and Water Forms
• Arabian Peninsula – Persian Gulf to the east,
Red Sea to the West.
• Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter) – Large desert in
southern Saudi Arabia.
• Mountains – Zagros, Elburz, and Taurus cut off
north from south.
• Rivers – Tigris and Euphrates flow through
Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Once home to ancient
civilizations like the Sumerians, Assyrians,
Babylonians, and Chaldeans.
• Jordan River – Forms boundary between Jordan
and Israel.
• Dead Sea – Salt lake (lowest point on earth
below sea level)
Resources
• OIL – Nearly 50% of world’s oil reserves
found in this region.
• Water – Very scarce in desert areas and
must be conserved. Abundance of water
along Mediterranean Coast and in Turkey.
• Scattered deposits of coal, iron ore,
copper, and phosphates.
Building Dams
Definition - a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water.
Benefits
1. Create
hydroelectricity.
2. Provide water for
farming.
3. Prevent flooding
Disadvantages
1. Countries/places
downstream lose
water.
2. Flooding often
needed to fertilize
land.
Religion
• Islam is the predominate religion.
• Founded in the 600’s ad by Muhammad.
• Spread by Bedouin fighters (nomads)
who moved across the desert, conquered
lands, and put Muslim leaders in control.
• The Quran (holy book of Islam) is written
in Arabic (the official language)
• Most Muslims belong to the Sunni branch.
people in Iran mostly Shiite.
The 5 Pillars of Islam
(basic duties all Muslims follow)
• 1. Faith – “There is no God but Allah, and
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
• 2. Prayer – Pray 5 times a day while facing the
holy city of Mecca.
• 3. Charity – Have a responsibility to help the
less fortunate.
• 4. Fasting – During the holy month of
Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink between
sunrise and sunset.
• 5. Pilgrimage – Expected to make at least one
pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca during their lifetime.
Government
• During the height of the Muslim empire,
the government was theocratic (run by
religious leaders).
• Government’s Today
– Iran – theocratic
– Saudi Arabia – Monarchy – ruled by the Saud
Family
– Iraq – formally a dictatorship under Saddam
Hussein. Transitioning into a democracy.
– Israel – Parliamentary democracy – President
with a parliament (Knesset)
OPEC
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
– Established in 1960
– Counties include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United
Arab of Emirates, Iran, and Iraq.
PURPOSE
To CONTROL worldwide oil prices by adjusting oil
prices and production quotas (# of barrels being
produced).
The Eastern Mediterranean
• Home to Jerusalem (holy city for Islam,
Christianity, and Judaism)
– Islam – Dome of the Rock and Temple Mount
– Christianity – Mount of Olives and Church of the Holy
Sepulchre.
– Judaism – Western Wall, Temple Mount
• Early 1900’s Jews begin moving back to
Jerusalem (Zionism). Israel created in 1948 as
homeland to the Jews. Fighting between Israel
and Palestinians has occurred ever since.
– (PLO Palestine Liberation Organization formed in
1960’s to regain land)
The Northeast
• Includes Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
• Mesopotamia “land between the rivers” a.k.a
Fertile Crescent home to Sumer, Assyria,
Babylonia, and Chaldea.
• Afghanistan is one of the poorest countries in
the world.
• Turkey and Iran have worked to modernize their
countries
– Industrialization, hydroelectricity, transportation
systems, communication systems, power plants,
hospitals, schools (all built because of $$$ from oil)
Today’s Issues
• Discovery of oil changed everything
– People moved from rural areas (farms) to cities.
– Roads and highways were built.
– Immigrant workers brought in to fill jobs.
• Political Refugees (forced from homes)
– Kurds – stateless nation – people without land to
legally occupy. 2000 A.D. – 70,000 Kurds forced out
of homes and made to live in relocation camps. (Also
killed and tortured by Iraqi army)
– Palestinians – forced to flee with creation of Israel.
Many fled to Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, the West Bank,
and the Gaza Strip. (roughly 8.2 million Palestinian
refugees world wide)
Using OIL to Develop wealth
• Problems with oil
– 1. Limited (will run out someday)
– 2. Prices rise and fall unpredictably
• Solution – build up an economy not solely based
on oil.
– 1. Modernize infrastructure (buildings, factories,
telecommunications, transportation systems,
hospitals, schools, airports, shopping malls, ect.)
– 2. Develop agricultural, mineral, and water
resources.
• Example – Saudi Arabia has dug deep wells to tap into
underground water supplies so they can grow their own food