Transcript Physical Geography of SW & Central Asia, and N. Africa

 Physical
Geography quiz
tomorrow!!!
 (this
is NOT the map quiz…that will
be on Tuesday )
 Quiz
will cover chapter 17,
sections 1 & 2
 Arabian
Peninsula
› Separated from
Africa by Gulf of
Aden & Red Sea
› Sinai Pen. &
Suez Canal
separate the
land to the
north/west
› Persian Gulf is on
the east side
Gulf of Aden
 Anatolia
Pen.
› Black Sea to
Bosporus
Strait
Aegean
Sea
ANATOLIA
North
› Aegean Sea to
West
› Mediterranean
Sea to South
› Many straits
connecting
seas ($$)

Strait of Gibraltar
› Separates Africa from Iberian Pen.
› Only a dozen
miles or so
wide
 ‘gateway to
Africa’
 Dead
Sea
› On Jordan River (border w/
Israel)
› 7X saltier than any ocean
› In the 50s
 L= 262 m, W= 57 m
› Today
 L= 42 m, W= 11 m
 What does this mean?

Caspian Sea
› Largest
inland/landlocked
body of water
› But it is salt water!!
(remnants of
larger sea)
› Facing
evaporation and
increasing
irrigation/industry
uses, but in flow
from feeder rivers
 Aral Sea
› Used to be large &
have productive
fishing
› Shrunk drastically due
to USSR draining it for
irrigation
› Ppl build sm. dams to
create basins of
freshwater from rivers

Nile River
› Longest in world
Aswan High Dam
› Flows NORTH to Med. Sea
› 90% of Egyptians live in delta or along river
(= 3% of land)
› Faces great flood seasons  built Aswan
High Dam for control, but it limits alluvial soil

Tigris & Euphrates
› Mesopotamia or ‘land b/w two rivers’; aka Fertile
Crescent
› Join to form Shatt al Arab
 Border of Iraq &
Iran
 Wars & treaties
over it
Wadi in
Oman
 Wadis-
dry streambeds that will fill
with heavy rain  flash floods
(seasonal)
› Since they are typically arid, creates
mud quickly dangerous mud flows
Since most is
desert/steppe agricultural
base = coastal areas of
Med. Sea, Caspian Sea, &
Persian Gulf
 Atlas Mtns
› Longest mtn
range
 Stretches from
Morocco to Algeria
› Northern side of Atlas
allows for lots of agric.
(farms, fishing, livestock)
 Rainy side,
Mediterranean climate


Hejaz & Asir

Caucasus Mtns
› West coast of Arabian
Pen.
› Some rainshadow
effect to Central
Plateau
› b/w Black & Caspian
Sea
› Seen as border b/w
Europe & Asia
 Garagum (Karakum)› Black sand desert, covers 70% of Turkmenistan
 Qizilqum (Kyzyl Kum)› Red sand desert in Uzbekistan & Kazakhstan
Use wide
spaces for
livestock

Meeting point of the
African, Arabian, &
Eurasian plates
› Reason for mountainous
terrain
› Many earthquakes
 Turkey 1999
 Iran has 90% of land on faults
› Landforms still changing
 Red Sea is widening
 Oil
(petroleum) & nat. gas are
region’s most abundant resources
› 70% of world’s oil
› 33% of world’s nat. gas
 Reserves are still being discovered!
› WWII sparked production as we
moved to modern industry/reliance
Completed Dubai Tower
 Prob
w/ oil
dependence b/c
economy stability
fluctuates as oil
prices fluctuate
› Many countries
are now
diversifying
 UAE  banking,
info. tech, tourism
 Libya 
infrastructure,
fisheries
Water!

Lots of rainfall in some areas; others do
not get much at all
› Caspian Sea: southern areas @ 78+ inches a
year
› Most areas in the Middle East experience a
desert or steppe climate; do not get much
rainfall

Water resources very scarce in many
desert/steppe climate regions
Desert Climate

Sahara dominates North Africa
› Sand = less than 10% of the desert

Encompass 50% of Middle East areas
› Definition: 10 inches or less of precip a year


Extreeeeeeme Climate!
Rub’al Khali, aka-Empty Quarter
› Largest area of sand in the region

Characteristics:
› Ergs: sandy-covered dunes
› Regs: stony plains covered with “desert pavement”
› Cities, villages built around Sahara oasis, or places in
the desert where underground water surfaces
Steppe Climate
Second-largest climate region
 Average rainfall @ less than 14 in/yr

› Can support SOME vegetation, like short
grasses, which provide pasture for animals

Bedouins, the people of the steppe
climate
› Way of life: pastoralism, or raising & grazing
of livestock
Other climates

Mediterranean: Morocco, Tunisia
› More moderate, loveable climate = MONEY! 
 Boost economy by exporting grapes, citrus fruits,
and olives to Europe & North America
 Tourism!
 Agadir = 360 days of sunshine a year  tourist  $$$$$$$

Highlands: Caucasus Mountains
› Generally wetter & cooler
› Climate varies with elevation, exposure to wind
& sun

Areas near mountain ranges tend to have
abundant rainfall because of warm air
from the seas from prevailing westerly winds
Landscape: Effects from
Climate Change

Grassy plains  desert
› (Desertification!!!!)